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I
Sy©
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CHAPTER L
O N
Christian Perfection,
Mnfl
,ll 1
nitf:
fttiifat;
Am
:1£ f
r
M
HE Wifdom of Mankind has, for fevcral Ages,
been enquiring into the Nature of Man, and
the Nature of the World in which he is placed.
The Wants and Miferies of Human Nature, and the
•Vanity of Worldly Enjoyments, have made it difficult
for the wifeft Men to tell, what Human Happinefs was,
or wherein it confifted.
It has pleafed the infinite Goodnefs of God to fatisfy
our Enquiries, by a Revelation made to the World by
his Son Jesus Christ.
This Revelation has laid open the great Secrets of Pro¬
vidence from the Creation of the World, It has explain'd
the prefent State of Things, and given Man all the Infor¬
mation that is neceflary, both to give him Reft here, and
to lead him fafely to everlafting Happinefs.
It is now only necelTary that the poor Wifdom of Man
do not exalt itfelf againft God, that we fuffer our Eyes
to be open'd by him that made them, and our Lives t®
be conduced by him, in whom we live, move and have
our Being.
II. As Happinefs is the fole End of all our Labours,,
fo this Revelation aims at nothing elfe.
It gives us right Notions of ourfelves, of our true Good
■and real Evil; it (hews us our true Condition, both our
Greatnefs and Meannefs, our Happinefs and Mifery.
Before this, Man was a mere Riddle to himfelf, and
his Condition full of Darknefs and Perplexity; a reftlefs
Inhabitant of a miferable difcrder'd World, walking in
a vain Shadow and difqui ding himfelf in vain.
But this Light has difperfed the Anxiety of his vain
Conje&ures. It has brought us acquainted with Goo,
A and
til
s)of
rand by adding Heaven to Earth, and Eternity to Timet
has opened fuch a glorious View of Things, as 1 ads
Men, even in this World, to a Peace of God which paf-
fcth all Under/landing.
III. This Revelation acquaints us, that we have a Spirit
within us, which was created after the Divine Image; that
this Spirit is now in a fallen Condition ; that the Body in
which it is placed is its Sepulchre, where it is enllaved to
flefhly Thoughts, blinded with falfe Notions of Good and
Evil, and dead to all Tafte of its true Happinefs.
It teaches us, that thcWorld in which we live, is alfo
in a difqrder'd, irregular State, andcurfed for the Sake
of Man ; that it is no longer the Paradife that God made
it, but the Remains of a drown'd "World, full of Marks
of God's Difpleafure, and the Sin of its Inhabitants.
That it is a mere Wildernefs, a State of Darknefs, a
Vale of Mifery, where Vice and Madnefs, Dreams and
Shadows, varioufly pleafe and torment the Ihort, mifer-
,able Lives of Men.
Devils alfo, and Evil Spirits have here their Refidence,
promoting the Works of Darknefs, and wandering up
.and down, feeking whom they may devour.
lick I11.
p!
kill
So that Man, in his natural State, is like a Perfon fick
of Variety of Difeafes, knowing neither his Diftem-
pers nor his Cure, and mclofed in a Place where he can
hear or fee, or feel, or tafte of nothing but what tends.
10 enflame his Diforders.'
IV. But Chriftianity puts an End to this State of
Things, blots out all the Ideas of worldly Wifdom, brings
the World itfelf to Aihes., and creates all anew. It calls
Man from an animal Life and earthly Societies, to be
horn again of the Holy Ghoft, and be made a Member
of the Kingdom of God.
It crulhes into Nothing the Concerns of this Life, con¬
demns it as a State of Vanity and Darknefs, and leads
Man to a Happinefs with God in the Realms of Light.
It propofcs the purifying of our Souls, enliven'd with
the Divine Spirit: It fets before us new Goods and Evils,
jand forms us .to a glorious Participation of the Divine
Nature.
This is the one End of Chriftianity. It does not leave
<iS to grovel on in the Defires of the Flelh, to cdt about
for
rffit,!!
Exile from God : But the fole Defign of it is, to lead
us from all Thoughts of Reft here, to feparate us from
worldly Tempers, to deliver us from the Folly of our
Pailions,»the Slavery of our "own Natures, the Power of
evil Spirits, and unite us to God, .the true Fountain of -
real Good. This is the mighty Change which Chrifti-
anity aims at, to reform our whole Natures, renew our
Souls in the Image of Gor>, and make them the Inha¬
bitants of Heavenly and Immortal Bodies.
V. The Manner by which it changes our whole State
is equally great and wonderful.
1 am the Way, the - ruth, and the Lifef faith our blef-
fed Lord, no Man cometh unto the Father lut by me.
As all Things were created by the Son ofG o d,and with-
out him ivas net any thing made that was made, fo are all
- things redeemed and reftored by the fame Divine Perfon.
; As nothing could come into Being without him, fo
nothing can enter into a State of Happinefs but by him.
The Dignity of this Redemption at once confounds
: the Pride, and relieves the Mifery of Man. Flow fallen
muft he be from God, that fhould need fo great a Me¬
diator! And, on the other Hand, how full of Comfort
: is the Thought that fo high a Method, fo ftupendious a
Means fhould be taken to reftore him to a State of Peace
and Favour with God !
VI. This is the true Point of View, in which every
Chriftian is to behold himfelf. He is to overlook the
poor Projects of this Life, and confiaer himfelf as a
Creature, thro' his natural Corruption, falling into a.
State of endlefs Mifery; but, by the Mercy of God,
redeem'd to a Condition of everlafting Happinefs.
All the Precepts and Doftrines of the Gofpel are found
. ed on thefe two great Truths, the deplorable Corruption
or human Nature, and its new Birth in Christ Jesus.
The one includes all the Mifery, the other all the
:p Happinefs of Man.
It is on thefe that the whole Frame df Chriftianity is
built, forbidding only fuch Things as fallen us to the
Dilorders of Sin, and commanding only thofe Duties
which lead us into the Liberty of the Sons of God
So that if we think and aft as Chriftians, we aft fuit-
A 2 ably
C 4 ).
ably to thefe Terms of our Condition, fearing and avoid¬
ing all the Motions of our Corrupted Nature, cherifhing
the Secret Infpirations of the Holy Spirit, opening our
Minds for the Reception of the Divine Light,.and pref-
fing after all the Perfections of our New Birth.
All Chriftians are continually to behave themfelves
conformably to this double1 Capacity. We are to Fear
and Watch and Pray,, like Men that are always on the
Brink of Eternal Death ; and to believe and hope, labour
and afpire, like Chriftians that are called to fight the
good Fight of Faith,, and lay hold on eternal Life.
VII. This Knowledge of ourfelves makes Human Life .
z State of infinite Importance, placed upon fo dreadful
a Point betv/ixt two fiich Eternities.
Well might our Saviour fay to one that begg'd firft to
£0 and bury his Father, Follow me, and let the Dead
kury their Dead.
For what is all the Buftle and Hurry of the World but
dead Shew, .and its greateft'ACtors but dead Men, when
compared with that real Life to which the Followers of
Christ are redeem'd I
Had we been made only for this World, worldly Wif¬
dom had been our higheft Wifdom; but Teeing we are
redeemed to an in tire: y contrary State, worldly Wifdom 21
is now our greatefl Foolifhnefs.
It is now our only Wifdom, to underiland our new
State, andtonduCt ourfelves by the Principles of our Re¬
demption. IP
VIII. The Nature of our Chriftian Calling is of* that pi
Concern, as to defertfe alb our Thoughts, and is indeed
only to be perceived by great Serioufnefs and Attention
of Mind,
The Chriftian State is an invifible Life in the Spirit h
of God, fupported, not by fenfible Goods, but the Spi¬
ritual Graces of Faith and Hope: So that a Man bulled
in Earthly Cares and Enjoyments, perceives nothing of
this great and Heavenly Calling.
The Changes which Chriftianity maketh in the prefcnt
State of Things, are all invifible : Its Goods and Evils
which are the only true Standards of our A&ions, are
not fubjeft to the Knowledge of our Senfes.
In
( 5 )
In God due live and move and have our Being ; but
how unfeen, how unfelt is all this!
Christ is the Lamb Jlain from the Foundation of the
World, the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh
into the World. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Be'
ginning and the End of all Things. The whole Crea¬
tion fubfifts in him and by him. No Perfon is in any
Favour with Goo, but by this great Mediator. But
how invifible, how unknown to all our Senfes is this
State of Things 1
Chriftians are Temples of the Holy Ghoft, confecrated
to God, Members of Chri st's myftical Body, of his
Flefh and his Bones, receiving Life,. Spirit and Mo¬
tion, from Him their Head.
But our Senfes fee no farther than our Parents and
Kindred according to the Flelh, and fix our Hearts to
earthly Friendthips and Relations. Well then may thi*
Life be deem'd a State of .Darknefs, fince it thus clouds
and covers all the true Appearances of Things, and
keeps our Minds infenfible and unafFedled with Matters
of fuch infinite Moment.
IX. Wou'd we therefore know our true Condition, we
muft fearch after a Life that is hid with Christ in
God. We muft coniider ourfelves as Parts ofCHRisT's
myftical Body, and as Members of the Kingdom of Hea¬
ven. In vain do we confider the Beauty and Strength
of our Bodies, our Alliances with Men, and the Diftindi-
ons of this World ; for thefe Things no more conftitute
the State of Human Life, than rich Co fins or beautiful
Monuments conftitute the State of the Dead.
We juftly pity the laftpoor Efforts of human Greatnefs,
when we fee a breathlefs Carcafe lying in State. It ap¬
pears fo far from any real Honour, that it rather looks
like ridiculing the Mifery of cur Nature. But were
Religion to form our Judgments, the Life of a proud,
voluptuous, fenfual Man, tho' Ihining in all the Splen¬
dour of the World, would give us no higher an Idea of
human Dignity, than a poor Corpfe laid in State.
For a Sinner, when glorying in the Lull of the Fie Hi,
the Lull of the Eye, and tl\e Pfide of Life, is. a more
fhocking Sight of Mifery ridicul'd, than any Pageantry
that can expofe the Dead.
A * X..
(« ) , . ,
X. We have an Apoftl^s Authority to fay, that be
twho linreth in Pleafure is dead nvbiljl he liajeth.
This fliews us, that when we enquire what our Life is, r
w.e muft think of fomething higher than the Vigour cf
our Blood,, the Gaiety of our Spirits, or the Enjoyment of "■}
fenfual Pleafures: Since thefe, tho' the allowed Signs of i
living Men,are often undeniable Proofs of deadChriftians.
When therefore we would truly know what our Life i
or Happinefs is, we muft look at nothing that is fenfible ft
or temporal. We may as well dig in the Earth for Wif, in
dom as look at Flefh and Elcod to fee what we are, or at .P
worldly Enjoyments to find what we want, or at tempo-
ral Evils to fee what we have to fear. Jps
Our Blefled Saviour put an abfolute End to all Enqui- p.
sies of this Kind when he faid, Be not afraid of them that
kill the Body, and after that ba<ve no more that they can do, h,
Here our Bodies and all bodily Enjoyments are at one is
i>a(h ftruck out of the Account of Happinefs,. and the itI
prefent State of.Things made fo very low and infignifi- k
cant, that he who can. only deprive us of them, has not ii
Power enough to deferve our Fear.
We muft therefore, if we would conceive our true State, 3
our real Good and Evil, look farther than thefe dim q
Eyes of Flelh can carry our Views. We muft, with the ,3
Eyes of Faith, penetrate into the invifible World, the >.
World of Spirits, and conftder our Order and Condition 3
among them; a World which,, as St 'John fpeaks, hath ;?[
no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon, to jhine in it; for If
the Glory of G on doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the >
Light thereof For it is there, among eternal Beings,
that we muft take an eternal Fellowlhip, or fall into a
Kingdom of Darknefs and everlafting Mifery.
XI. Chriftianity is fo noble in its Ends, fo extenfive in. -j
its Views, that it has nolefs Subjects than thefe to enter- j
tain our Thoughts. _ qj pfl
It buries our Bodies,, burns the prefent World, tri- I ej
trmphs over Death by a general Refurredtion, and opens
ah- into an eternal State. 3
It-merer confiders us in any other refpedl than as fallen ;
Spirits* it difregards worldly Diftindtions, and propofes ij,
nothing to our Fears but eternal Mifery, nothing to our
Hopes but-an endlefs Enjoyment of Goo. if
C 7 )
This is the great, the important Condition, in whiclf
Chriftianity has placed us*, above our Bodies,, above the
World, above Death, to be prefent at the Diifolution of all
Things, to fee the Earth in Flames,, and the Heavens
wrapt up like a Scroll, to Band at the general Relurredtion,
to appear at the univerfal Judgment, and to live for ever,
when all that our Eyes have feen is palled away and gone.
XII. Take therefore upon thee a Temper fuitable to
this Greatnefs of thy Condition. Remember that thou
art an eternal Spirit; that thou art but for a few Months
or Years in a State of Flefh and Blood, only to try whe¬
ther thou lhalt be for ever happy with GoD,, or for ever
niiferable with the Devil.
Thou wilt hear of other Concerns nd other Greatnefs
in this World. Thou wilt fee every Order of Men, every
Family, every Perfon purfuing fome fancied Happinefs,
as if the World had not only Happinefs, but a particular
Kind of Happinefs for all its Inhabitants.
But when thou feeft this, fancy thou fawelt all the
World afieep -r the Prince no longer a Prince ; the Beg¬
gar no longer begging, but every Man lleeping out of
his proper. State j fome happy, others tormented, and all
changing their Condition, as fall as one foolilh Dream
could fucceed another.
When thou hall feen this, if thou wilt, thou mayll go
to lleep too, thou mayll lie down and dream. And this is
all; for be as happy as the World can make thee, all is
but lleeping and dreaming a And what is Hill worfe, it is
like lleeping in a Ship, when thou lhouldll be pumping
for Life, or dreaming thou art a. Prince, when thou
fliouldll be redeeming thyfelf from.Slavery.
XIII. This is no imaginary Flight of a melancholy
Fancy, but the real Nature of Things.
For if thou art that immortal Nature,, that fallen Spirit
which Religion teaches us; if thou art to. meet Death,
Refurredtion, and Judgment, as the Forerunners of an
eternal State,.What are all the little Flafhes of Pleafure,
the changing Appearances of worldly Happinefs, but fo
many Sorts of Dreams ?
Howcanll thou talk of the Advantages of Fortune, the
Pleafures of Food or Apparel, without being in a Dream ?
Is the Beggar allecp, when he fancies he is building,
himfelf
C 8 .)
himfelf fine Houfes ? Is the Prifoner in a Dream, when
he imagines himfelf in open Fields and fine Groves ? And
canft thou think thy immortal Spirit is awake, while it
is delighting itfelf in the Shadows and Bubbles of worldly
Happinefs ?
For if it be true, that Man is upon his Trial, if the
Trial is for Eternity, if Life is but a Vapour, What is
there that deferves a ferious Thought, but how to get
well out of the World, and make it a right Paflage to
our eternal State ?
XIV. It is the Manner of fome Countries, in the
Burial of their Dead, to put a Staff and Shoes and Money
in the Sepulchre along with the Corpfe.
We fee the Folly and Ignorance of fuch a poor Con¬
trivance to affift the Dead : But if we did but underftand
what is Life, we fhould fee as much Folly in the poor
Contrivances to aflift the Living.
For how many Things do People labour after, break
their Reft and Peace to get, which yet when gotten are
of juft as much real Uie to then, as a Staff and Shoes
to a Corpfe under Ground ? They are always adding
fomething to their Life, which is only like adding ano¬
ther Pair of Shoes to. a Body in the Grave.
Thou mayft hire more Servants, new paint thy Rooms,
and put on richer Apparel: And thefe will help thee to
be happy, as golden Staffs or painted Shoes will help a
dead Man to walk.
XV. If thou remembereft, that the whole Race of
Mankind are a Race of fallen Spirits, that pafs thro' this
World, as an Arrow paffeth thro' the Air, thou wilt foon
perceive, that there is no Wifdom or Happinefs, but in
getting away to the beft Advantage.
If thou remembereft, tijat this Life is but a Vapour,
that thou art in the Body, only to be holy, humble, and
heavenly-minded ; that thou ftandeft upon the Brink of
Death. Refurre&ion, and Judgment, and that tiiele great
Things will luddenly come upon thee like a Thief m the j ''
Night, thou wilt fee a Vanity in the Things of this
World, greater tiian any Words can exprefs.
Do but therefore know thyfelf as P.el inn hat h made
thee known; do but fee thyfelf in the Li ht w.hch
Christ has brought into the World, ana ; en -kou
•: Wilt
16
ll?>
i!t fee that nothing
C 9 )
a of
mm, j
Mailt
ikuslsi
cijiili
bnr&jj
concerns thee, but what eoncertis-
an everlafting Spirit that is going to God j and that there-
are no Enjoyments here rhat are worth a Thought, but
fuch as may adorn thee with thatHolinefs, without which
no Man fhall fee the Lord.
XVI. This is the End of Chriftianity. It is- not a.
School for the teaching of moral Virtue. It is deeper
and more divine in its Defigns: It implies an entire
Change of Heart, a full Dedication of ourfelves, our
Souls and Bodies unto God. »
Our BlelTed Saviour came into the World, not to make
any Compofitidn with it, but to put an End to the D$>
figns of Fleih and Blood,, and to fhew us, we muft either
renounce this World to become Sons of God, or by
enjoying it, take our Portion among damned Spirits.
Chriftianity is a State ef Things that wholly regards
Eternity: It knows of no other Goods and Evils, but
fuch as relate to another Life.
It is a Kingdom of Heaven that has no other Interefts.
in this World, than as it takes its Members out of it:
And when the Number of the Elect is compleat, this-
World will be confumed with Fire, as having no other
Reafcn for its Exiftence, than the furnifhing Members
for that blefied Society, which is to laft for ever.
I cannot here omit obferving the Folly of human Wif-
dom, which, full, of imaginary Projects, pleafes itfelf.
with its lading Ellablilhments in a World doomed to
Dc if ruction, and which is to la ft no longer than till a
Efficient Number is redeem'1 d'out of it.
Did we fee a Number of Animals haftening to take'
up their Apartments, and contending for the beft Places,
in a Building that was to be beat down as foon as its old
Inhabitants were got fafe out,, we fhould fee a Contention
full as wife as theWifdomof worldly Ambition.
XVII. That Chriftianity implies a Change of Nature,.
is plain from the whole Tenor of the Goipel.
The Saviour of the World faith,'That except a Man be
bom again of Water and of the Spirit, he camiot enter into*
the Kingdom of God. We are told, that to as many as
received him, to them he gave Povoer to become the Sons
of Gon ; vjhich veere born not of Blood, nor of the Will
of Flejh, nor of the Will of Man, but of God.
. Thefe-
-
isiaift;
iiefel;
aofltt*!
C 10 X
ss
ii(
Tkefe Words plainly teach us, that Chriflianity implies
an entire Change of Nature ; that as our Birth was to us
the Beginning of a new Life, and brought us into a So¬
ciety of earthly Enjoyments, lo Chriflianity is another
Birth, that brings us into a Condition as new as when
we firft faw the Light.
Wbbegin again to be, we enter upon frefh Terms of
Life, have new Tempers, new Hopes and Fears, and
an entire Change of every Thing that can be called
Good or Evil, , *
This new Birth is the very EfTence and Soul of Chri¬
flianity ; it is the Seal of the Promifes, the Mark of our
Sonfhip, the Earned of our Inheritance, and the fure
Proof of our Acceptance with Goo.
XVIII. If we would know what a Change our New g
Life in Christ implies, let us confider what it is to be
born of Goo.
Whofoever is born of God, faith the Apoflle, doth not
commit Sin. For his Seedremaineth in him : and. he cannot
fn, becaufe he is born of God. In this the Children of God
are manifeft, and the Children of the Devil. And again,
Wknow, that whofoever is born of God fenneth not, but
he that is begotten of God ketpcth himfelf, and the wick¬
ed one toucheth him not. I. John iii. 10, v. 18.
The fame Apoflle tells us, Whofo ever is born of God
overcemeth the World. He overcometh all worldly De-
fires and worldly Fears. He is crucified unto the World
and the World crucified unto him. He is dead to the
Lull of the Flefh, the Lull of the Eye, and the Pride of
Life. And he feareth not them that can kill the Body,
and after that have nothing more that they can do.
ii
We mull therefore exair me into the State of our Minds,
and fee whether we are thus changed in our Natures, thus
born again : Whether we are fo fpirituai, as to have o- J ^
verccme the World ; fo holy, as that we cannot commit
Sin ; fince it is the undeniable Doctrine of Scripture, that
this New Birth is as neceffary to Salvation, as the be¬
lieving in Jesus Christ.
XIX. We have feen two Marks of thofe that are born
of God. A third is given us by Christ Himfelf.
Love your Enemies, blefs thetn that curfe you, do good lo
them that hate you, and pray for them which defpit cfully
ufe
■ I
I
i;
c
11
)
itfe you and perfecute ycu ; that ye may he the Children of
your Father which is in Heaven. Matthew iv. V. 4.
Well may aChriftian be faid to be a new Creature, fince
without iiich a Difpofition as this, we cannot be Chrifti-
ans, or Children of our Father which is in Heaven.
It is not therefore enough to love our Friends, Bene¬
factors, and Relations, but if we are born of God, we
love like God : We have an univerfal Love, a Tender -
nefs for all Mankind, imitating that Love which would
• that all Men Jhould be faved.
God is Love : And as hew bo dwelleth in Love, dwel-
leth in God, fo he that dwelleth not in Love dwelleth
not in God.
It is impoffible to be a true Chriftian, and an Enemy
at the fame Time.
Mankind hath no Enemy but the Devil; and thofe
who are of the fame Spirit.
XX. There is perhaps no Duty more contrary to Flefh
and Blood than this. But it is eafy to thofe that are
born of God.
For take but away earthly Goods and Evils, and you
iftAiA {aj-e
away all Hatred and Malice. For they are the
only Caufes of thofe bafe Tempers.
He therefore that hath overcome the World, h ath over¬
come all the Occafions of Envy and ill Nature, and can
-' pity, pray for and forgive all his Enemies, who want lefs
k Forgivenefs from Him than He hath received from his
e - Heavenly Father.
Let us here a while contemplate the Heighth and Depth
of Chriftian Flolinefs, and that Godlike Spirit which it
implies! And this alone might convince us, that to be
Chriflians, we muft be bom again : We muft fo change
our very Natures, as to have no Defire in our Souls, but
that of being like God.
And till we rejoice and delight only in God, we can¬
not have this Love to our Fellow Creatures,
jits We may therefore learn from this, as well as from what
was obferved before, that Chriftianity does not confift in
doing no Harm, nor in doing Good, (as it is called) nor
- flf yet in any particular moral Virtues, as fome idly luppofe:
But in an entire Change of our Hearts, of ail our natu-
ui Lempers, and a Life wholly devoted to God.
XXI,
kjs®
lists
l.'Ulitllil
uiiiatfi
( 1 2- )
XXI. The fame Dofi^rine is farther taught by our
Llefled Saviour, when Ipeaking of little Children, he
rfaith, Suffer them to come unto me; for of fuch is the
Kingdom of God. Luke xviii. 16.
If we are not refolved to deceive ourfelves, if we have
not Eyes that fee not, and Ears that hear not, we mull
iperceive that thefe Words imply fome mighty Change
in our Nature.
Now the peculiar Condition of Infants is fuch, that
they have every Thing to learn; they are to be taught
by others what they are to hope and fear, and where¬
in their proper Happinefs conftfts.
And in this Senfe firft are we to become as little Chil¬
dren, to be as tho' we had every Thing to learn, and
fufFer ourfelves to be taught, what we are to chufe, and
what we ate to avoid; to pretend to no Wifdom of our
own, but be ready to be taught of God, the only Way
•of purfuingthat only Happinefs, which God in Christ
•propofes to us ; and to accept it with fuch Simplicity of
Mind as little Children, who have nothing of their own
*0 oppofe to it.
XXII. But now is this infant Temper thus effential to
Chriftianity ? Does the Kingdom of God confift only of
-thofe that have it ? This then is another undeniable Proof
that Chriftianity implies a ncnv Nature ; fuch as having
renounced the Prejudices ofXife, the Maxims of human
Wifdom, gives itfelf with a Child-like Submiftion and
Simplicity, to be entirely govern'd by the Doctrines and
"Spirit of Chrs st.
Craft and Policy, felfifh Cunning, proud Abilities and
vain Endowments, have no Admittance into this holy
State of Society with Christ in God.
The Wifdom of this World, the Intrigues of Life, the
Defigns of Greatnefs and Ambition, lead to another
•Kingdom. He that follows Christ muft be emptied
.of this vain Furniture, and put on the meek Ornament
•of infant and undeftgning Simplicity.
Where is the Wife ? Where is the Scribe? Whcreistkt
Difputer of this World? Hath not G-OD made foolijh the
Wifdom of this World?
If we will partake of the Wifdom of God, we muft
judge of this World and its moll boafted Gifts, as the Wil¬
dcat
W,ltJ
in tub
C 13 )
domof God judgeth of them; we mull deem them Foot ■
ilhnefs, and with undivided Hearts labour after one Wif-
dom, one Happinefs, in being entirely devoted to God.
XXIII. This Comparifon of Chriftians to little Chil¬
dren, may alfo remind us of a certain Simplicity of Be¬
haviour, which is always the Effett of a Heart truly and'
entirely devoted to God.
As worldly Men are therefore referv'd, artful and de¬
ceitful, becaufe they have many and fecret Ends to bring
about; fo they whofe Heart is wholly devoted to God,
being wholly taken up with one great Delign, and hav¬
ing no little Succelfes that they labour after, have no
Need of Artifice or Difguile; and fo are naturally open,
fimple and undefigning in all the Affairs of Life.
XXIV. From all thefe Confiderations it appears, that
Chriftianity implies a New Nature, and a Life entirely
devoted to God.
Now if this be Chriftianity, it may ferve to inftrud
two Sorts of People :
Firil, Thofe who are content with an Outward Reli¬
gion ; thofe whofe Chriftianity lies only in an Outward
Decency and Regularity of Life.
I don't mean thofe that are Infincere or Hypocriti¬
cal : But all thofe who are content with Outward Religi¬
on : All who are content with any Thing fhort of that
Inward Holinefs, that Newnefs of Heart and Spirit which
the Gofpel defcribes.
They fhould confider that Charity, Chaftity, Sobriety
and Juftice may be praftifed without Chriftianity. A
Jew, a Heathen may be (what you call) Charitable and
Temperate: But to make thofe Parts of Chriftianity,
they muft proceed from a Heart truly turned to God,
that is full of an infant Simplicity, that is crucified with
Christ, that is born again of the Spirit, that has over-j
come the World. Temperance or Juftice without this
Turn of Heart, may be the Temperance of a Jew or a
Heathen : but it is not Chriftian Temperance or Juftice,
till it proceeds from a Chriftian Spirit. Could we do and
fuffer all that Christ himfelf did or fuffered, jet if it
was not all dope in the fame Temper, in the Spirit of
Christ, it would profit us nothing.
XXV. A Chriftian is fober, charitable and juft, upon
the
t J4 )
the fame Principles and with the fame Sprit that he re¬
ceives the Holy Communion; as Afts of Obedience to
God, and as fo many Inftances of a Heart truly devo¬
ted to Gon.
A Chriftian is fober, not only fo far as fuits with a
.regular Life, but fo as becomes one who is born of the
Holy Spirit, that is one with Christ, who dwelleth in
God and God in him.
He is charitable, not only fo far as fuits with his na¬
tural Temper, and with good Efteem among Men; but
in fuch a Meafure as is fuitable to the Doftrines and
Spirit of the Gofpel.
Tor indeed, neither Charity, nor Temperance, nor
Juftice, nor any other Virtues (as they are called) are
Parts of Chriftian Holinefs, till they fpring from Holinefs
of Heart, from the Mind that was in Christ.
This is what cannot be too much confidered by thofe ;
whofe Religion has made no Change in their Hearts;
who fancy themfelves Chriftians, only becaufe of the v
/Regularity of their Lives, altho' they have never expe- ft
■rienoed a Renewal in the Spirit of their .Minds, after the 11
Image of Him that created them ; who pray without ■;!,
Devotion, give Alms without Charity, and are Chri- ;;
itians without the Spirit of Chriftianity.
XXVI. Secondly,"This Do&rine may ferve to inftruft |
thofe who are convinced, they have been hitherto Stran¬
gers to Religion.
Some People who are afhamed of their paft Lives, and ;;
begin to look toward Religion, think "they have done
^enough, when they have reformed the Outward Coutfe
of their Lives; when they have left off their grofs Vices
and Follies, or are grown careful of fome particular
Duties or Virtues.
Thus a Man who has been a Drunkard many Years,
-thinks he"has made a fufficient Change by becoming tem¬
perate : Another imagines, he is in a very good and fafe
jState, becaufe he does not negleft the Publick Worihip,
as he ufed to do: A Lady fancies Ihe lives enough to God
becaufe foe has left off Plays, and lives more at home
<ib an formerly.
But fuch People foould confider, that Chriftianity does
■:& -confift in theFewnefs of our Vices; no nor in any
one
( 15 )
' ^ ^ one particular Virtue, nor yet in the Outward Amend¬
ment of our Lives: But in fuch a thorough Change ot
Heart, as makes the Love of God the Spring and Mea-
fure and Rule of all our Tempers and Actions.
XXVII. It is a miferable Error, to think we are
■ Chrifiians, becaufe we are lefs vain or covetous, more
fober and decent in our Behaviour than we ufed to be
: itsiilf yet this is the Cafe with, many, who think they are well,
nuagfe: • becaufe they are not fo bad as they were, becaufe they
Jtaelfe are reformed from Outward Wicked nefs; notconfidering
how thorough a Change, how entire a Reformation of
t la®. Heart, as well as Life, Chriftianity implies.
Aejattt: But let fuch People remember, that they who thus
xitsiis. meafure them/elves by themfelves are not wife. Letthenv
.nCsir remember that they are not Difciples of Christ, till
they have, like him, offered their whole Soul and Body,
agtkWl ot'f reafinable living Sacrifice to God ; that they are nor
(" x~ Members of Christ's Myftical Body, till they are uni-
ted unto him by a new Spirit; that they have not enter'd
into the Kingdom of God, till they have enter'd into
„ an infant Simplicity of Heart, till they are fo-bom of
jjgj God as not to commit Sin, fo full of an heavenly Spirit
as to have overcome the World.
.. . f Let them remember, He that is in Christ is a new
'ff ff Creature,, and that nothing ihort of this will avail before
God, nothing lefs than the entire Renewal of the Soul
in Righteoufnels and all true Holinefs. Let them re-
member, that there is no Religion that will (land us in
". i. any Stead, but that which is the Converfion of the Heart
to God, when all our Tempers are holy, heavenly, di¬
vine, fpringing from a Soul that is bom again of the
Spirit that is lull of divine Love, and tends with one
full Bent to a Perfection and Happinefsin the Enjoyment
of God.
XXVIII. Let us therefore look carefully to ourfelves,
and confider what manner of Spirit we are of: Let us not
think our Condition fafe, becaufe we are of this or that
Church or Perfuafion, or becaufe we are ilriCt Obfervers
of the Outward Offices of Religion. For we can't but
..., fee, thefe are Marks that belong to more than belong
>L to Christ. All are not his that prophecy, or even caft
(fttut Devils, and work Miracles in his Natne. Much lefs
B * thofe
i-ifcil BBk-
am
C '« )
thofe who, with corrupt Minds and worldly Hearts, are
Only baptized in his Name.
If Religion has raifed us into a nenv Wirld; if it has
filled us with new Ends of Life ; if it has taken Poffeffion
of our Hearts, altered the whole Turn of our Minds, and
changed the whole Stream of our Affections; if it has
given us new foys and Griefs, new Hopes and Fears; if
all Things in us are become new ; if the Love of God is
Jhed abroad in our Hearts, by the Holy Ghofl given unto us,
and this Spirit beareth Witnefs with our Spirit that we
are the Children of God : Then are we Chriftians, not
in Name only, but in Truth ; then we do believe in the
Holy Jesus, and we fhall rejoice in the Day of Christ,
that we have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain,
t. vo>vvv cw vOO t_XX> tX)v cXX> OOv ixv cw j vvv *»j t C<X#
CHAP. IL
CHrificnity requires^ a renouncing of the'World, and
all worldly Tempers.
. T Tfe« CkrifVian Religion being to raife a new, fpirf-
tua!, and, as >et, invifible World, and to place Man
among Thrones, Principalities and fpiritual Beings, is
at entire Enmity with this prefent corrupt State of Flefh
and Blood. r
It ranks the World, with the Flefh and the Devil,
as an equal Enemy to thofe glorious Ends which it pro-
pofes.
Accordingly the Gofpel lays its Foundation, in utter¬
ly renouncing thofe falfe G bods and Enjoyments, which
feed the Vanity and Corruption of our Nature, fill orr
Hearts with foolifh and wicked Pafhons, and keep us fc
parate from God, the only Happinefs of all Spirits.
II. For not only the Vices, the Wickednefs, and
Vanity of this World, but even its moftlawful Concerns,
if unduly purfued, make Men unable to-enter into the
true State of Chriftianity.
He who is bufied in an honefl Calling, may, on that
Account, be finally rejected of God.
For it is no more pardonable to be lefs affeCted to the
Thing
( 11 )
Things of God, for the Sake of any Worldly Bufinels,
than for the Indulgence of our Pride, or any other Jin
ful Paflion: Every Bufinefs of Life being equally trifling,-
when compared with the one Thing needful.
III. Men of ferious Bulinefs indeed generally cenfure
thofe, who trifle away their Time in vain and imperti ¬
nent Pleafures.
But they don't confider that their own Employments
alfo are as vain as Vanity itfelf: They don't confider
that any Bulinefs or Employment, if it has got hold of
the Heart, renders Men as vain and odious in the Sight
of God, as any fenfual Gratification.
They may call it an honeft Care, a nvife Indujlry, csr
by any other plaufible Name. But it is a Wifdom
which can no more recommend itfelf to the Eyes of
God than the Wifdom of an Epicure.
For it Ihews as wrong a Turn of Mind, and as great
a Contempt of the true Goods, to neglett any Degrees
of Piety for the Sake of Bufinefs, as for any the moll
trifling Pleafures of Life,
IV. The Wifdom of this World indeed gives an Inu
portance and Air of Greatnefs to feveral Ways of Life,
and ridicules others as vain and contemptible, which
differ only in their Kind of Vanity. But the Wifdom
from above condemns all Labour as equally fruitlefs,
which hinders our labouring after everlafting Life.
For what can it fignify whether a Man forgets God
in his Farm, or in a Shop, or at a Gaming Fable? The
World is full as important in its Pleafures as in its Cares;
there is no more Wifdom in the one than in the other.
And the Man who, by the Cares and Bufinefs of the
World is made lefs affefted to the Things of God, is
no wifer than he who takes his Delight in running
Fixes and Hares out of Breath.
For there is no Wifdom in any Thing but Religion,
Nor,is any Way of Life lefs vain than another, but as
it is made ferviceable to Piety, and confpires with the
Defigns of Religion, to raife Mankind to a Participati¬
on and Enjoyment of the Divine Nature.
V. Let thofe who are not at all afhamedto b: devo¬
ted to the Cares and Bufinefs of the World, confider
B 2 Uofe
C 18 )
tliofe States of Life, which they own to be vain and
foolifh, and contrary to Religion.
Some People have no other Care, than how to give
their Palate frelh Pleafure, and enlarge the Happinefs
£>f Pajling.
Others live to no other Purpofe, than to breed Dogs,
and attend the Sports of the Field.
Men of fober Bufinefs, who feem to aft the grave
Part of Life, generally condemn thefe Ways of Life.
But why are they to be condemned ? Produce but the
true Reafon why any of thefe are vain and finful, and
the fame Reafon will conclude againft every Way of
Life which is not wholly devoted to God.
VI. Let the Man who is deep in worldly Bufinefs, but
Jhew the Vanity and Shame of a Life devoted to Plea-
fures, and the fame P.eafons will fhew the Vanity and
Shame of a Life filled with worldly Cares. So that
whofoever can condemn Senfuality, Ambition, or any
Way of Life upon the Principles of Reafon and Reli¬
gion, carries his own Condemnation within his own
Breaft, unlefs his Life be entirely devoted to God,
VII. It is granted that fome Cares are made necef-
fary by the NeceiTities of Nature. And the fame alfo
may be obferved of fome Pleafures, as the Pleafures of
Eating, Drinking and Reft. But if Reafon and Religion
do not limit thefe Pleafures by the NeceiTities of Nature,
we fall from rational Creatures into Drones, Sots, Glut¬
tons, and Epicures.
In like manner our Care after fome worldly Things
is neceflary. But if this Care is not bounded by the
juft Wants of Nature, if it wanders into unneceffary
Purfuits, and fills the Mind with falfe Defires and cra¬
vings ; if it wants to add an imaginary Splendour to the
plain Demands of Nature, it is vain and irregular; it
is the Care of an Epieure, a longing for Sauces and
Ragous, and corrupts the Soul like any other fenfual
Indulgence.
For this Reafon our Lord points fo many of his Doc¬
trines at the common allowed Employments of Life, to
teach us, that they may employ our Minds as falfely
and dangeroully as any Trifles whatever.
He teaches us, that even the Neceffaries of Life
fhould
fhould be fought with a Kind of Indifference, that fo
our Souls, may be truly fenftble of greater Wants, and
difpofed to hunger and thirft after Enjoyments that will
make us happy for ever.
VIII. But how unlike are Chriftians to Chriftianity!
It commands us to take no 7bought, faying, what faa ll
we eat, or what faall we drink ? Yet Chriftians are
reftlefs and laborious, till they can eat in Plate.
It commands us to be indifferent about Rayment.
But Chriftians are full of Care and Concern, to be
tloathed in Purple and fine Linen. It enjoins us to take
no Thought fior the Morrow. Yet Chriftians think
they have lived in vain, if they don't leave Efiates at
- their Death. And thefe call themfelves Difciples of that
Lord, who faith, He that fiorfaketh not all that he hath
^5 cannot be my Difciple.
IX. It muft not be faid that thefe Dodtrines are not
plainly enough taught in Scripture, becaufe the Lives
and Behaviour of Chriftians are fo contrary to them.
For if the Lives of Chriftians might be alledged againft
the Dodtrines of Scripture, none of them would have
lafted to this Day.
It is one of the Ten Commandments, Thou faalt not
take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. And our
Saviour has forbid fwearing, yea, in the moft folemn
Manner. Yet where more fwearing than among Chri¬
ftians, and among fuch Chriftians as would think it hard
to be reckon'd a Reproach to the Chriftian Name ?
The Scripture fays of Chriftians, that they are born
of God, and have overcome the World. Can they then
be reckoned of that Number, who have not fomuch as
overcome this flagrant Sin, to which they have no
. . - - Temptation in Nature ?
far Well therefore may the Dodtrines of heavenly Mind-
ednefs, and Contempt of the World be difregarded.,
fmce they run counter to all the Corruptions of Flefh
;ai; ' and Blood, to all the Pride and Vanity of our Nature.
X. But let thofe who are ftartled at thefe Dodtrines,
deal faithfully with their own Hearts, f.nd ask them-
. - ■ felves whether they fhould not have had the fame Dif-
like to them, had they lived in our Saviour's Days ? Or
whether they can find any one Reafon, why they fhould
have
have been fo fpiritual and heavenly then, which is net
as good and as ftrong a Reafon for their being as fpiri¬
tual and heavenly now ? ■»
Hath Heaven or Earth fuffered any Change fince that
Time ? Is the World become now more worth our No¬
tice, or heavenly Trealure of lefs Value than it was
then ? Or have we had another Saviour fince, that has
compounded Things with this World, and helped us to
an eafier Way to the next ?
Yet, if an Apojile was to rife from the dead, calling
rich and great Men to thefe Doctrines, they would
drive their Coaches from fuch a Preacher, rather than
be laved at fuch a Erice.
XI. To fet this great Truth in a Hill clearer Light, I
will appeal a little even to the Imagination of the
Reader.
Let it be fuppofed, that rich Men are now enjoying
their Riches, and taking all the ufual Delights of Plen¬
ty ; that they ?re labouring for the Meat that perifh-
eth, contriving Scenes of Pleafure, and fpending their
Eftates in proud Expences.
After this Suppofition let it be imagined, that we
faw the Holy Jefus, who had not where to lay his Head,
with his Twelve Apoftles, that had left all to follow him.
Let us imagine, that we heard him call all the World,
to take up the Crofs and follow him, promifmg a Trea-
fure in Heaven to fuch as would quit all for his Sake,
and rejecting all that would not comply therewith:
Denouncing Woe and eternal Death to all that lived in
Fulnefs, Pomp and worldly Delights. Let it be imagi¬
ned, that we heard him commanding his Difciples, to
take no Tboughtr faying, What Jhall ive eat, or what
Jhall <we drink, or wherewithall Jhall <we be cloathed ?
And giving this Reafon for it, After all thefe Things do
the Gentiles feek.
Let it be imagined,, that -we faw the firfl Chriftians
taking up the Crofs, renouncing the World, and counting
all Things but Dung that they might nvin Chrif.
Ldo not now fo immediately appeal to the Judgment
or Reafon of the Reader. I leave it even with his Iira-
gination* that wild Faculty, to determine, whether
>e
( 21 )
be polllble for thefe two different Sorts of Men, to be
true Difciples of the fame Lord ?
; XII. To proceed; Let us fuppofe that a rich Man
was to put up fuch a Prayer as this to God :
" O Lord, I thy fmful Creature, whom Thou haft
called to a lively Hope of Glory in Chrift Jefus, beg of
sf " ^iee t0 Srant me a thoufand times more Riches than I
"• t" nee^ that I may be able to gratify myfelf and Family
in the Delights of eating and drinking, State and Gran¬
deur. Grant that as the little Span of Life wears out,
1 I may abound more and more in Wealth; and that I
' may fee and perceive all the beft and fureft Ways of
growing richer than any of my Neighbours. This.I
-■ humbly and fervently beg, in the Name, TsV."
-Jr- Such a Prayer as this fhould have had no Place in
this Treatife ; but in hope that proportionably as it of-
fends the Ear, it may amend the Heart.
L r XIII. There is no one, I believe, but would be a-
- fhamed to put up fuch a Prayer as this to God. Yet
- let it be well obferved, that all are of the Temper of this
Prayer, but thofe who have renounced the World.
SfL We need not go among Villains, and People of
fcandalous Characters, to find thofe who deli re a thou-
fattd times more than they want, who have an Eagernei's
to be every Day richer and richer, who catch at. Till
: pc-: new Ways of Gain; and fcarce thinly any Thing
ptiL- enough, except it equals or exceeds the Eftate of their
cca?;- Neighbours.
HiI beg of fuch that they would heartily condemn the
Lc : profane and unchriftian Spirit of the foregoing Pray-er,
and that they would fatisfy themfelves, nothing can be
^10>'e odious and contrary to Religion.
But let them be allured alfo of this, that the fame
Things which make an unchriftian Prayer, 'make an
unchriftian Life.
For the Reafon why thefe Things appear fo odious
in a Prayer, is becaufe they are fo contrary to the Spirit
of Religion. But is it not as bad to live contrary to
>.p. the Spirit of Religion, as to pray contrary to it?
,0. At leaft, muft not that Way of Life be highly blame-
able, which is fo fhocking when put into the Form of a
Prayer ? ,
XIV. Need we any other Conviction, that this Man-
8 1 T n cr
ner of Life is contraiy to the Spirit of Chriftianity,
than this, that the praying according to it in Chrift's
Name, comes near to Blafphemy.
Let it be confidered how we Ihould abominate a
Perfon, whom "we knew to ufe fuch a Prayer : And let.
that teach us, how abominable fuch a Life mull appear
in the Eyes of God ! And with this Addition of Folly, j
that we call the Prayer profane, but think die Life that 3
anfwers to it to be Chrifiian. ■
From all this it is plain,, that the prefent Followers
of Jelus Chrift, have no more to do with worldly En¬
joyments, than thofe he chofe while he himfelf was on
Earth ; and that we are to have the fame Devotion to
God, the fame heavenly Afledlion, as any of thofe
he convers'd with in the Days of his Flefh.
XV. Yet notwithstanding the Scriptures are fo exprefs,, |j
Men will not give up their pre-conceived Opinions.
It will ftill be asked, Where can be the Harm of get¬
ting or enjoying an Efbate ? JB ;
Whether it be not a commendable Thing, to provih
cn Eflate for one's Family?
And what People of Birth and Fortune are to do with
themfelves, if they are not to live up to their Eftates and
Qualities ?
To the frft Qucihion let it be anfwered,. Take no
Thought, faying, what Jball we eat, or what fall nil
drink, or wherewithalI Jhall we be cloaihed? For after
all thcfe Things do the Gentiles feel.
Now, if to be careful and thoughtful, even about the
Neceffaries of Life, be a Care that is here forbidden,
and that becaufe it is fuch a Care as only becomes Hea¬
thens ; furely to be careful and thoughtful how to raife
an Eftate, and enrich one's Family, is a Care that is
fufuciently forbidden in Chriftians. And he that can
yet think it lawful, to make this the Care and Defign
of his Life, is too blind to be convinced by Arguments
Our Saviour faith, Labour not for the Meat that peri ft -
eth, hut for that Meat which endureth unto everlafiing
Life. He commands us not to lay up for our/ekes
Treafures on Eurth ; he allures us that we cannot fact
God and Mammon.
Now thefe Places have no Meaning, if it is 3ill
lawful
C 25 )
lawful for Chriftians to heap up Treafures, to labour
for Eftates, and purfue "Defigns of enriching their Fa¬
milies.
XVI. I know it is eafy to evade the Force of thefe
Texts, and to make plaufible Harangues, upon the In-
nocency of labouring to be rich, and the Confiftency of
fervingGoD and Mammon.
I don't queftion but the rich young Man in the Go-
'®|| fpel could have made a very good Apology for him-
ancj pave {hewn how reafonable and innocent a
Thing it was, for fo good and fo young a Man to en-
• joy an Eftate.
The rich Man in Torments could have alledged,
how much Good he did with his Fortune; how many
Trades he encouraged with his Purple and fine Linen,
and faring fiimptuoujly every Day ; and how he conform¬
ed to the Ends of Society, by fo fpending his Eftate.
XVII. But ftill the Word of God lhall not pafs
away, Having Food and Raiment, let us he therewith
iht tie Bail
content. For they who will he rich fall into a Tempta-
tion and a Snare, and into many foolijh and hurtful Lufis,
which drown Men in Deflruciion and Perdition. I. Tim.
vi. 8.
' rres' We may, perhaps, by fome Acutenefs of Reafoqing,
find out, that this ftill leaves us at our Liberty, whether
we will labour to be rich or not: Yet notwithftanding
fid' what the Apoftle fays, of a Snare, a Temptation, and
foolijh Lufis, yet we can purfue the Means and defire
;:»«the Happinefs of Riches, without any Danger to our
Virtue.
S But if fo, we are as prudent as thofe Chriftians, who
think they can fecure their Virtue without Watching and
Prayer, tho' our Saviour has faid, V/atch and pray that
ye enter not into Temptation.
' "■ 30': jb And he that negledts Watching and Prayer, tho' the
appointed Means of avoiding Temptation, lives as
if^l much according to Scripture, as he that is careful and
defirous of Riches, tho' the declared Occafions of Sin,
Snares and DefiruSlion.
XVIII. If we could fubmit to the plain Doctrines
of Scripture, it would never be asked what People of
B • - Fortune
, • m.
C *4 )
Fortune are to do with themfelves, if they are not to
- live up to the Splendour and Plenty of their Eflates ?
The rich Man in the Gofpel was a Ruler, a young
Man, and a good Man: If therefore there are any of his
Rank who are neither young nor good, it can hardly
be thought, they have lefs to do to inherit eternal
Life.
And as for thofe who, like him, have kept the Com¬
mandments of God from their Youth, I dare not tell
them, that they arfe not under a NecefHty of offering all
'their Wealth to God, and of making their Eflates,
however acquir'd, not the Support of vain Indulgences,
but the Relief of their Brethren.
XIX. Suppofe great People, by means of their
Wealth, could throw themfelves into a deep Sleep of
pleafant Dreams, which would lafl till Death awaked
them, would any one think it lawful for them to make
fuch Ufe of their Riches ?
And yet he that had done nothing but fleep and
-dream to the Time of his Death, might as well fay,
that he had been working out his Salvation with Fear
and Trembling, as he that has been living in Luxury,
Splendour, and fenfual Gratifications.
The Gofpel has made no Exception for Dignity of
Birth, or Difference in Fortune; but has appointed the
fame f might Gate, the common Palfage for all Perlons
to enter into Glory.
The Diftindlions of Civil Life have their Ufe; but if
any one thinks he may be lefs devoted to God, lefs a-
fraid of the Corruptions of Pleafure and Pride, becaufe
he is born of a rich Family, he is as much miflaken as
he that fancies he has a Priviledge to Ileal, becaufe he
was born of a Father that was poor
XX. If the rich or great Man can find out a Courfe
of Pleafures, that fupport no wrong Turn of Mind, an
Indulgence which does not gratify Senfuality, Entertain¬
ments which feed no vain Paflions: If they can find out
fuch Inftances of Splendour and Greatnefs, as fliew
they love God with all their Hearts, and as gratify
neither the Luft of the Flejh, the Lufl of the Eye, nor
ihe Pride of Life, Religion has no Command againil
-fuch Enjoyments.
But
( 25 )
if: !k4 But if this cannot be done, then the Rich hive n®
heilf more PermifEion to live in vain Indulgences than die
L. Poor have to fteal.
a®; And let it be always remember'd, that if any Diftinc-
. •; tions of Life make Men forget that Sin is their only
Bafenefs, andHoIinefs their only Honour; if any Con¬
dition makes them lefs difpofed to imitate the low, hum¬
bling Eftate of their buffering Mafter ; inftead of being
i: any real Advantage, it is their Curfe, their Snare and
40f.L Deftruftion.
XXI. I know to all this it will ftill be objedled, that
":. l a Man is not neceflarily vain and proud, becaufc he lives
in Shew and Figure, any more than another is neceifa-
rily humble, becaufe he lives in a low Eftate.
It is granted, that Men maybe of a Temper contrary
to the Eftate in which they live. But then this is only
true, of fuch as are in any State by Force, and contrary
to their Defires and Endeavours.
A Man in a low Eftate may be vain and proud, be-
caufe he is in fuch a State by Force ; and is reftlefs and
" uneafy till he can raife himfelf out of it. If the fame is
true of him that lives in Figure and Pomp, that he is in
■V this State by Force, and is reftlefs till he can lay it all a-
fide, then we grant he may be humble.
But nothing is weaker than to fay, Becaufe a Man
may be in a low Eftate per Force, without Lowlinefs of
Mind, therefore another may cbu/e to live in all the:
Height of Grandeur and Vanity, without any Height
: or Vanity of Mind.
A Man may be an Epicure in his Temper, tho' he is
forced to live upon Bread and Water. But will you
therefore fay, another who lives on all forts -of Dainties,
and that by Choice, may be no Epicure ?
If therefore they that live in Pomp and Shew, live
. therein out of Choice, and are not willing to live other-
wife, we muft talk Nonfenfe if we do not fay their
Minds are as vain as the Vanity of their State.
XXII. The Neceihty of renouncing the World, in
whatever State of Life we are, may be yet farther
proved from thofe divine Tempers which Chriftianity re- "
V$ quires.
Chriftians are to -love God with all their Heart, with
K - € -sB
C J
;aH their Soul, with all their Mind, and with all their
^Strength.
Now it is abfolutely impofsible we fhould do this, un-
lefs we have renounced the World.
A Man that has his Head and his Heart full of world¬
ly Concerns, can no more love God with all his Strength,
-than a Man, who has his Eyes on the Ground, can be
looking towards Heaven with all the Strength of his
; Sight.
XXIH. It therefore we-are to love "God with allour
Heart, if it is abfolutely neceflary we be firil perfua-
ded, that we have no Happinefs but in him alone, but
iwhat arifes from our Enjoyment of the Divine Nature.
•.2ut we may be allured, we never believe this Truth,
-till we renounce all Pretenfjons to any other Happinefs.
'For to feek the Happinefs of Riches, at the fame Time we
•know all Happinefs is in God, is as impofsible as to
(feek the Happinefs of Sicknefs, when we know no bc-
,dily State is happy, but that of Health.
It is therefore abfolutely certain, that we are as much
.obliged. to renounce the World with all our Strength, as
•to love -God therewith, it being impofsible to do one
-without the other.
XXIV. It is equally certain, -that we unavoidably
love every Thing in Proportion as it appears to be our
Happinefs: If it appears to be half our Happinefs, it
will necelfarily have half the Strength of our Love :
And if it appears to be all our Happinefs, we lhall natu¬
rally love it with all our Strength.
The Chriftian Religion therefore, which requires the
■whole-Strength of our Nature to love God, lays a juil
^Foundation in requiring us abfolutely to renounce the
Happinefs •of the World; feeing it is impolsjbLe to have
it wo Happineffes, and but one Love.
And indeed what can be more ridiculous than to
Taney, -that a Man who is taken up with the Enjoyments
.of the World, is at the fame Time loving God with all
ixis Soul .and with all his Strength.
Is it not as abfurd as to fuppofb that a Man, who is
devoted to, find taken up with the Sports of the Held,
is At the fame Time contemplating Mathematical Specu-
Htious, with the whole Ardour of his Mmd ?
• YYV
• w
C 2 7 )
XXV. Another Duty which proves the abfolute Ne
cefsity of thus renouncing the World, is, The Love qjC
our Neighbour.
Thou Jhalt love thy Neighbour as thy felf: If a Man
wculd know what this implies, let him look impartial
Iv into his own Heart,, and fee what it is that he willies
to hinifelf. Then let him turn all the fame Wilhes to
his Neighbour, and he will feel the juft Meafure of his.
This will alfo teach him, that the true Love of hist
Neighbour is as inconfiflent with the Love of the
- World, as Duelling is incordi&ent with Meeknefs and
the Forgivenefs of Injuries.
XXVI. This Love is a Temper that fuits only frchf
Beings as have one common undivided Happinefs, wherein
they cannot be Rivals to one another. Now this is the
State of all Chriftians,who have as truly one common Hap-
pinefs as they have one common God. But if we put?
ourfelves out of this State, and feek for Kappinefs in
the Enjoyments of this Life, we are as incapable of
this neighbourly Love, as Wolves and Bears that live
upon Prey.
x ' One common undivided Happinefs, being the only pof-
6ble Foundation for this Love, if we feek any other)
jvfc Happinefs than this, if we don't renounce all othep
. ; Pretentions, we cannot keep clear of fuch Tempers as-
are utterly inconfiftent with the loving our Neighbour
as ourfelves.
But when we are govern'd by a Happinefs which no '
. Man can hinder our attaining, and wherein none cam
: make himfelf our Rival, it will be no harder to love all
Men as ourfelves, than to wilh them the Enjoyment of'
the fame Light,- or the common Air: Which being
Goods that may be equally enjoy'd by all, are not the-
Occafions of Envy.
XXVII. It is plain our Saviour intended this brotherly
Love, to be the governing Principle of- our laves. Butn
it cannot be fo, unlefs we are content to make no more
.tlr
ot this World, than a Supply of our Neceflities, and to-
look for one only Happinefs in the Enjoyment of Gov-.-
I don't appeal to Niggards and Worldlings, to the
Proud and Ambitious: Let thofe who think themfelves--
C z - Moderate-
. . jzl mmm
C >8 )
Moderate in their worldly Denres and Enjoyments, deal
faithfully with thernfelves and fee whether their Profe-
•ctotion of worldly Affairs, permits them to love all Men
as thernfelves.
Perhaps they have not thofe bitter Envyings and
Hatreds to which ambitious Worldlings are fubjeft, But
ffill they have as certainly, in their Degree, and in
Proportion to their Love of the World, their Envyinga
and Hatreds, and Want of fmcere Love,, as other Men.
XXVIII. For a further Proof of this, we need only
look into the World, and fee the Spirit that appears
among almoft all Chriftians.
We need not go to wicked and loofe People. Let
us go into any 'virtuous Family,, and we fhall find it has
its particular Friendfoips and Hatreds^ its Enffaitigs
and foil Speakingsy and all founded in the Intereils and
Regards of the World.
And this neceffarily fprings from hence,, that all
Chriftians are bufy in attending to their worldly Intereils,,
intending only to keep clear of difhoneft and icandalous
Practices: That is, they ufe the World as far as honeft
Heathens or Jews would do, and coniequentiy have fuch
Tempers as Jews and Heathens have.
For it is^not only Cheating and Dilhonefty, but the
bare Defoe of worldly Things^and the placing Happi-
nefs in them, that lays the Foundation of allthefe Un-
chriftian Tempers; that begets particular Friendihips
and Enmities, arid divides Chriftians into more Parties
than there are Families among them.
So that it is purely the engaging fo far in the World
as fober Chriftians do; it is their falfe Satisfaction in lb-
many Things that they ought to renounce; it is their
being too much alive to the World, that makes all,,
even thofe who are called devout and religious, fubjeft
to Tempers fo contrary to tire Love of their Neigh¬
bour.
Lec this therefore teach us that we mull renounce
the World, if we-would live and love like Chriftians
XXIX. By renouncing the World, I do not mean*
retiring into a Cloiller. This would be like laying
afide all Ufe of Cloaths, to avoid the Vanity of Drefs.
There
C 29 )
There is a fober and reafonable Ufe of the Worldr
which is as lawful as it is to eat and drink.
We may buy and fell; we may labour; we may
provide for ourfelves and our Families; that is, fo faf
as is needful for Life and Godlinefs. But farther we
may not go.
The firft Step our Defires take beyond Things of Ne-
cefsity, ranks us among Worldlings, and raifes in our*
Minds all thofe Tempers, which difturb the Minds of
worldly Men.
XXX. You think yourfelf very reafonable and con¬
formable to Chriflianity, becaufe you are moderate iri
your Defires. You don't deiire a large Eflate ; you'
defire only a little Finery, a little Sate, and to have
Things genteel about you.
Imagine now to yourfelf, that what you fay, of mo-
derate Defires, and little Fineries, had been faid to our"
blefled Saviour when he was upon Earth, calling Men'
to renounce the World and deny themfelves.
Your own Confcience tells you, he would have re¬
buked the Author of fuch a Pretence with as much In¬
dignation as he rebuked Peter, Get Fhee behind me,
Satan, for-thou fa<voureft not the Fhings that be of God.
Now the Spirit of Chriflianity is the fame Spirit that"
was in Chrifl when he was upon Earth. And if we have
Reafon to think that fuch a Petence wrould have bcerl
feverely condemn'd by Chrifl, we have the fame Rea
fon to be hire, it is as feverely condemn'd by Chrifli¬
anity.
XXXI. Had our BlefTed'Saviotir a little before lie left
the World, given Efates to Ms Apoflles, with a Permit-'
fon for them to enjoy little Fineries, and a mod&rat 'i
State in a genteel manner, he had undone all that he
had faid of the Contempt of the World, and Heavenly -
mindednefs. Such a Permifsion had been a Contradic¬
tion to the main Doftrines which he had taught.
Had the Apoflles lived in a little State, and ix* mo¬
derate worldly Delights,. how could they have faid^.
the World is era cifed to me, and I Ira to she World?
And how blind and weak mull we he, if.we carr
think that we may live in a Sp: rit and Temper, .which.
C ^ ' TouhdC
C 3® )
CtxiTcf not pofsibly be the Spirit and Temper of Chrift'
and his Apoftles ?
XXXII. Another Pretence for worldly Care and La¬
bour after Riches,, is, to provide for our Families.
You want to leave Fortunes to your Children, that
they may have their Share in the Figure and Shew of
the World. Now confider, Do you do this on Prin¬
ciples of Religion, as the bed Thing you can do, either
for yourfelf or them ?
Can you then be faid, to have chofen the one Thing
needful for yourfelf, or the one Thing needful for them,,
who take fuch care to put them in a State of Life, that
is a Snare and a Temptation,. and the mod likely of all
others, to fill their Minds with foolijh and hurtful Lufs ?
Is it your Kindnefs toward them that puts you upon
this Labour ? Confider therefore what this Kindnefs is,
founded upon ? Perhaps it is fuch a Kindnefs as when
tender Mothers carry their Daughters to all Plays and
Balls : Such a Kindnefs as when indulgent Fathers fup-
port their Sons in all the Expence of their Follies. Such
kind Parents may more properly be call'd the Betrayers
and Murderers of their Children.
You love your Children, and therefore you would
have them rich. It is faid of our bleffed Saviour, that
he loved the young rich Man that came unto him, and
therefore he bid. him fell all that he had. What a Con¬
trariety is here? The Love which dwelleth in you, is
as contrary to the Love which dwelt in Chrift as Dark-
nefs is to Light.
We have our Saviour's exprefs Command,. to love
©ne another, as he loved us. And can you think you
are following this Love,, when you are giving thofe
Things to your Children, which he took away from
his Friends, and which he could not pofsibly have given
them without contradicting the greatefl Part of his
Dodtrines?
XXXIII. Bat fuppofe youfucceed in your Deflgns, and
leave your Children rich, what muft you fay to them
when you are dying ?- Will you then tell them that you
have the fame Opinion of the Value of Riches you
ever had; that you feel the Pleafure of. remembring
how much Thought and Care you have taken to ac-
C it )
quire them ? Will you tell them that you have provided
for their Eafe and Softnefs, their Pleafure and Indul¬
gence and Figure in the World; and that they cannot
do better than to eat and drink and take their Fill of
fuch Enjoyments as Riches afford. This would be dy¬
ing like an Atheiji.
If you would die like a Chriftiaiv muff you not en¬
deavour to fill their Minds with your dying Thoughts ?
Muff you not tell them that very foon the World
will fignify no more to them than it does to you ? And
that there is a Vanity, a Littlenefs in the Things of this
Life, which only dying Men feel as they ought ?
Will you not tell them, that all your own Failings, the
Irregularity of your Life,, the Folly of your Tempers, and
your Failure of Chriffian Perfection, has been owing
to wrong Opinions of the Value of worldly Things? And
that if you had always feen the World in the fame
Light that you fee it now, your Life had been devoted,
to God, and you would have lived in all thofe holy
Tempers and heavenly Affedtions in which you now
defire to die ?
Will you not tell them, that Riches fpent upon our-
felves, either in the Pleafures of Eafe and Indulgence,
in the Vanity of Drefs, or in State and Grandeur, are
the Bane and DeflruCticn of our Souls,.making us blind¬
ly content with Dreams of Kappinefs, till Death awakes
us into real Mifery ?
From all this therefore it appears,, that your Kind
nefs for your Children is fo far from being a good Rea-
fon why you fnould fo carefully labour to leave them
rich, and in the Enjoyment of the State and Shew of
the World; that if you die in a Spirit of Piety, if you
love them as Chriff lov1d his Difciples, your Kindnefs
will oblige you to exhort them to renounce all fuch En¬
joyment of Pvich.es, as is contrary to thofe holy Tempers
and that heavenly Affeftion which you now find to be
the only Good and Happinefs of human Nature.
CHAP,
( 3'2 )
CHAP; III.
CHrfiianity calletb all Men to a State of Self-denial
and Mortification.
I. It would be ftrange to fuppofe, that Mankind
were redeem'd by the Sufferings of the Son of God, to
live in Eafe and Softnefs themfelves, without any Suffer¬
ing or Crofs at all!'
Are we not all to die ? Does God then unmake and
dafh our very Form into Pieces; and can we think
that a Life of Pleafure and Self-indulgence can become
us under fuch a Sentence ?
II. If any Man will come after me, faith Christ,
let him deny himfelf take up his Crofs daily, and fol¬
low me.
To fhew that this belongs to all Chriilians, St. Luke
faith, He faid unto them All: St. Mark hath it thus
and when he had called the People unto him, with his
Difciples alfo, he faid unto them.
Let us now fuppofe that Chriftian Churches are full
of fine, gay People, who fpend their Time in all the
Pleafures and Indulgences which the Spirit of the
World can invent.
Can it be faid of fuch, that they are denying them-
J\lves, and taking up their Crofs daily ? May they not
with as much-regard to Truth be faid, to live in Sack¬
cloth and Afes ? Or can they who live in all the
Scenes of Pleafure be faid, to be working out their Sal¬
vation with Fear and Trembling ? May they not as
juftly be faid, to be walking bare-foot to ferufalem?
III. Several Inltances of this Self-denial and daily'
Cr©fs, are to be feen in-the following Words.
Ye have heard that it hath been faid, an Eye fie ran
Eye, and a Tooth, for a Tooth. But 1 fay unto you, that you
refifi not Evil; hut whofoevcr willfinite thee on the > ight
Cheek, turn to him the other alfo; and if any Man will
fue thes. at the Law and take away thy Coat, let ban
have thy Cloak alfo : And, whifever fall cotnpcll thee
to go with him a Mile, go with him twain.
We
C S3 )
We are to deny ourfelves then in not demanding an
Smiter, and fuffering fuch ill Ufage as we could pre¬
vent by Refinance.
We are to deny ourfelves, in not commencing Suits
*•' at Law, tho' in our own Defence: And to take up the
Crofs of one Injury after another, rather than revenge
:: Hit ourfelves. We are rather to expofe ourfelves to the far-
Ae Son of Go, ther lofs of our Cloak .than have recourfe to Law to
sKitkttujij recover our Coat.
The Words that deliver this Dodhine are fo plain
---fit and exprefs, that they need no Illuftration : And it is
ircaii: as plain,, that they equally belong to all Chriltians of
;twcala all Ages. The Manner of our Saviourrs delivering
them, puts it out of all queftion, that thefe were to be
re, fast? the perpetual Marks of his Followers.
JirE Te have heard that it hath been /aid? an Eye for an
Eye, &c. But I fay unto you that ye rcfji not Evil.
IC vzi It was not poflible for our Lord to exprefs himfelf in
a more authoritative Manner, or to fhew us more
plainly, that he was here acting as the great Lawgiver
of Chriltians, and delivering perpetual Laws to all his
r,.f5 Difciples, fuch as Ihould conftantly diftinguifh them
.raj, from all the World. Nor is it poflible for any one to
- xT evade the literal and open Meaning of thefe Doctrines,,
but by fuch a Way1 as mull deltroy the Senfe of any
rf Gther fart of Scripture.
yjft." 1^ If it could be Ihewn that we are not obliged by
the plain and exprefs Dodicine of thefe Padages, it
[j. might as well be Ihewn that the next Dodtrine, But T
fay unto you, love your Enemies, blefs them that curfe
you, does not oblige us in the plain and literal Senfe of
the Words.
For both the Pafiages are equally fupported by
the fame Authority of our Saviour, exprefs'd in the
fame Manner, I fay unto you. Thefe Virtues are like-
wife neceffary to one another : We cannot thus love and
do good to our Enemy, unlels we are thus patient un¬
der Sufferings, and deny ourfelves all Inltances of An-
'I? ger and Refentment at them.
ff | u v,
c 54 y
V. If thefe Do&rines feem grievous, they can only
feem fo to fuch as have wrong Notions of human Life.
Too many imagine this Life to be fomething that is
fubftantial in itfelf, and valuable for its own Goods;
and look upon Religion as fomething that is added to
it, to make a worldly Life more eafy, regular and hap¬
py : And fo embrace Religion with no other Spirit, nor
t© any farther Degree, than as it complies with the
E.afe and Order of that Way of Life in which they
live.
Our Saviour has fully confuted-this Opinion, by teach¬
ing us, that there is but one Thing needful. If then we
can take his Word,, the Grievoufnefs of Self-denial is
ftruck off at once.
For what tho' Meeknefs and Patience may make us
Sufferers; yet if by fuch Sufferings we lofe only fuch
Things as are not needful for us, where is any Ground
for Complaint ? « it
VI. But farther, fuch Sufferings not only do us no
real Hurt, but they are Bleffings and Matter of folid,
Joy.
Blejj'ed are ye ivh'en Men faU. revile you and perfecute
you, and fall fay all manner of E<vil of you faljly for
my Sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad-,'for great is
your Reward in Heaven.
Chrift does not comfort us in this, as if it were an
hard or melancholy State, which we muft bear, becaufe
it is made eafier by Patience. But he looks at it in quite
another View, not as needing Comfort, but affording
Matter of Congratulation?
What Chriftians then are they, who reckon thofe
Things among the Hardfhips of Religion, which Chrill
recommends to us as Reafons of rejoicing, yea of being
exceeding glad?
VII. The whoie of the Matter is this: If our Suffer¬
ings, our Injuries or Hardfhips be fuch as we undergo,,
hecaufe we dare not depart from that Meeknefe, and
Patience, and Charity, which Chrift hath taught;
becaufe we had rather love our Enemies than be reven¬
ged on them; rather fuffer like Chrift, and be full of
his Spirit, than avoid Sufferings by a contrary Temper;
fuch Sufferings are our greateft Gains,
Now,
™ is m:
Mrrtty I
is in nif
tS'il. Igl
's offfis
BBS2J3
ttWtrc;
iffliiitiic
ailtei*
■liji*F
sbbui1!
ift,^
i»'<!
40
m
C 55 )
Now, he thefe Sufferings what they will, if they-
make us.more like Chrill, they have done more for us
than all the Prolperity in the World can do. And he
that defends himfelf at the Expence of any Temper,
that was the Temper of Chrift, has done himfelf an In¬
jury greater than the moil powerful of his Enemies can
"bring "upon him.
And all this turns on one Point, that there is but one
Thing needful, the Salvation of our Souls. It is this
that changes the Nature of all human Things, and
makes every Tiling good or evil, only fo far as it pro¬
motes or hinders this one End of Life. The Salvation
of the World is the only Happinefs of the World:
And he that has feeured his Share in that, has fecured
to himfelf all the joy .and Gladnefs that can befal
human Nature.
A Chriftian therefore that is not content with Salvati¬
on, that would add a worldly Joy to the great Things
of Religion, is more fenfelefs than a Man that would
not be content to be faved from a Shipwreck, unlefs he
was carried off upon a Cedar Plank.
VIII. Before I proceed to other Inftances of Self-
denial, it may be proper to Ihew the Reafonablenefs
of it.
God is Reafon and Wifdom itfelf. As fure there¬
fore as there is a God, fo fure it is that a Religion from
"God has only reafonable Commands to reafonable Crea¬
tures. God can only will that reafonable Creatures
ihould be more reafonable, more perfeft and like him¬
felf : And confequently can enjoin no Duties or Tem¬
pers, but fuch as have this Tendency ; all his Com¬
mands are for our Sakes, founded on the Necelfities of
our Natures, and are only fo many Inffruftions to be¬
come more happy than we could be without them.
IX Now let us apply this. If a Perfon were to
walk upon a Rope acrcfs feme great River, and he was
bad to deny himfelf the Pleafure of walking in Silver
Shots, or looking about at the Beauty of the Waves, ox
iiftening to the Noifeof Sailors: If he was command¬
ed to deny himfelf the advantage of Fijhing by the Way,
would there be any Tiling unreafonable in fuch Self-
.'detu&l I
\ht
C 3* )
Strait is the Gate, faith our Lord, and narrow is
•the Way that leadcth unto Life. Now if Chriftians are
to walk in a narrow Way that leadeth to eternal Life,
it muft be the Part of a Chriftian to deny hinifelf all
thofe Things which may flop him in, or lead him out
of this narrow Way. And if they think that plea-
fing their Senfes, and worldly Indulgences, are confident
with their keeping in this narrow Way, they think as
reafonably as if the Man upon the Rope fhould think
that he might fafely ufe Silver Shoes, or flop in his
Way to catch Fifb.
X. The plain Cafe is this: Chriftians are call'd from
a State of Sin and Difcrder, to a State of Holinefsand
Refemblance of the divine Nature. If therefore'there
are any Things or Ways of Life, that corrupt our
Minds, fupport our Vanity, increafe the Diforder of
our Souls, or nouriih finful Afreftions ; all thefe are as
neceffarily to be avoided, as it is neceiTary to be holy. 1
If indeed (to infiance in one Point only) there are
no Indulgences in Eating, that do us harm, then per¬
haps it might be faid, Fa fling is of no Ufe: But if there
are, if all Indulgences of this fort, inilave the Soul,
and give it a fenfual Tafte, then we are as much obli- j si
ged to abliain from what does us this Harm, as we are
obliged to pray for any Thing which can do us Good.
XI. And it is fure no Chriftian can doubt of this:
As none that knows any Thing of the Gofpel can
doubt whether Falling be a common Duty of Chriftianity,
iince our Lord has rank'd it with giving Alms and
Prayer. When thou faflefl, anoint thy Head and ivajb
thy Face, that thcu appear not unto Men toFfl, hit to
thy Father which is in fcerct, and t/.y Father which j ;|
fecth in ftcretfljall reward thee openly.
So that the fame Inftrudlions, and the fame Reafons
are giver, for Frfling, as for Alms and private Prayer, that
.thy Father which fecth in fltrct, may reward thee openly,
XII. Eating ana Drinking are the common Supports
of Life. But tiren'as they are the Supports of a cor¬
rupt Life, the Nourishment of a difordered Body that
weighs down the Soul; wbofe Appetites are in a State
•of Enmity with the Life and Purity of the Soul; it b
hccdiary that we take Care fo to fupport the Life e;
pi - the Body, as not to occafion the Sicknefs-and DeatiS*
1 ^r-of the Soul. /
The Difference between the fame Man full and fail-
!> toy :: Jng, is often almolt the Difference of two Perfons; &
' Man that in the Morning finds himfelf fit for any Me-
r iitkth: ditation, is after a full Meal changed into another
r'-hte.: Creature, fit only for idle Amufements or the Yawnings
of an Animal.
« He has not only created a Dulnefs in his Soul, but
h:.:, ah has perverted its Tafle : For he can be pleas1 d with a
Romance or impertinent Hiitory, while he has no Relifa.
ins atoll: for a Book of Devotion.
saStofHr : This fhews, that Fajiing has a nearer relation to aS
■t lite |i religious Tempers than is generally thought; and that
is, ist i full Feeding not only dulls the Mind, but more par-
ticularly gives it a Dulnefs towards the Things of Re¬
sins; AM* ligion.
XIII. Indeed every Indulgence of the Body in Eat-'
. 'ng an(i Drinking, is adding to its Power over the
do a bj0,i Soul.
. v- A Man that makes every Day a Day of full and
(hearful Meals, will by Degrees make the Happinefs of
every Day depend upon it, and confider every Tiring
- i with regard to it.
He will go to Church or flay at Home, as it fuits
with his Dinner, and not fcruple to tell you, that he
generally eats too heartily to go to Afternoon Service.
*3 ' Now fuch People are under a worfe Diforder thara
the Jaundice, and have their Sight more perverted
than he that fees all Things yellow.
For what Difcernment have they, who have more
Tafle for the Preparations of the Kitchen, than for-the
Comforts of the Houfe of God : "Who chufe rather to
make themfelves unfit for divine Service, than to baulk
the Pieafure of a full Meal?
Can they think.they have the Spirit of Chrift who
are thus enflaved to Gluttony P Or can they be faid, to
. : have forfaken all to follow him, who will not fo much
as forlake half a Meal for the Worfhip of Go d ?
XIV. I know it will be thought too fevere to call
that Gluttony, becaufe it is the Practice of Numbers
of People of Worth and Refutation. But I hope hey
( 3? )
will turn their Diflike of the Name into a Diflike of the
Thing.: For 'tis as certainly Gluttony as picking of
Pockets is ftealing.
The Sin of Gluttony is the Sin of over-eating. Now
this may be difficult to ilate exactly in fome Cafes, But
he that owns he eats fo much as renders him itidr/pofed
for the publick Worfhip of God, has determined again#
himfelf, and put his own Cafe out of all queftion.
Men may fancy, they only are guilty of Gluttony,
who. eat till they furfeit their Bodies. They may think
thofe only guilty of Drunkennefs, who drink till they
have loft their Senfes. But there is r» much furer Rule
to go by, given them by the Spirit of God ; whether
ye eat sr drink, or what fever ye do, do all to the Glory
of God. All therefore in Eating and Drinking that is
not to the Glory of God, is offered to fomething that
is not the Glory of God ; it is offer'd to the Corrupti¬
on and Senfuality of our Natures. It is the Sin of in¬
temperance ; and is Indevotion too, when indulged at
a Time that keeps us from the pubjich Worfhip of God.
XV. Indeed a conftant Gourfe of fall Feeding is the
Death of the Soul, and every Day that is a Day of
jfuch Happinefs, is a Day loft to Religios.
When a Man has rejoiced himfelf with full Eating
and Drinking, he is like any other Animal, difpofed
only to Play or Idlenefs. He has no more feeling of
Fin than he has of Hunger, and can no more perceive
himfelf to be a miftrable fallen Creature, than he can
perceive himfelf to be a Beggar.
For this Courfe of fenfoal Enjoyments, is as contrary
to a true Senfe of Sin, as it is contrary to a State of Beg'
vary and Want-, and a Man in fucli Happinefs, can
no more feel the Weight of Sin, than he can feel him -
-felf in the Mifrty of Poverty.
XVI. I know fome objed, that Faffing is not an um-
■verial Duty; but fit for fome particular Cafes, and par
sticulax Conftitutions.
To this I anfwer, if by Faffing you mean an entire
Abft in ence from Food, for fuch a Space of Tunc, in
fhis Senfe it is not an univerfal Duty.
But this is quite a wrong Notion of it. For the Fail¬
ing whereof I fpeak is not fx\i Degree of A:ifi*cnt'c
3 is pisj
ra-dk k
ifomeCih I
Self-denial as is proper to every one's particular
Now in tlris Senle Falling is as conllant and. univer¬
sal a Duty as Repentance.
For as Repentance is an uni<verfal Duty, becaufe the
Reafon of it is common to all Men; fo is Falling, be¬
caufe Senluality, and flelhly Lulls, is the ufiverfid Cor-
of all Men.
It is no fix'd Degree of Sorrow that is the common
Ep3ty ofGk| Repentance of all Men. It is no fix'd Form or Length
Tceytr or Hear of Prayer, that is the common Devotion of all
Men. Yet are t'nefe conflant and uruverfial Duties.
In like manner, tho' Falling be fubjedl to all die
fame Variations, yet is it a confiant and univerfial
' h till)ill Duty.
ttftir;. . XVII. Jufius is a grave, fober Man. He is very
angry at thofe who neglett Failing. He thinks they
know nothing of Virion ,
But prefently alter, jufius will ted you, that he ne
ver falls but on Geodfiriday, and the 0,0th of January.
If Jufius had lived before the Murder of King
Charles, he had had but one Fall in the Year. Yet
in all likelihood he would then have Hood up for the
Dotirine of Falling.
If a Man was to be angry at thofe who ncglecl the
Service of the Church, as People that know nothing of
Religion, and then tell you, that he himfelf neve-
goes thither but on Goodfiriday, and the 30th of fia
U- rnary, you would fay, that he knew nothing of the
Gat®1*; Nature of Church Service.
Now Jufius Shews the fame Ignorance of the Na-
rtaflftV ture of Fafiing.
If Prayer and Repentance and the Service of the
Church, were not common A£ts of Devotion, and n :~
/j' ceffary Ways of worlhipping God, they would not b r
necefthry on Good-friday.
In like manner, unlefs Falling was a common an I
jy neceffary Part of Religion, it would neither be necef
Cry nor acceptable on thofe particular Days.
For it is not the Day that makes the Duty to be ne
p ceflary. -But the Day happens ta be a proper Occauon
of exercifmg a necellary Duty.
Jtm L D 2. XVIII,
C 40 )
XVIII. If Juftus was to fay, that he never repent*
but on thofe publick Days, he might as eafily defend
liimfelf as when he fays, he only falls at thofe Times,
For, is there any Benefit in falling at thofe Times ?
Does it add any Thing to your Piety and Devotion ?
Does it calm your Mind and put you into a better
State for Prayer, than when you take your ufual Meals?
If it has not fomething of this Effedt, where is the Ufe
©f it at any Time ? And if it has this Effedt,. how comes
it that you will have but one or two fuch Days in
the Year ? Why will you not thus alfill your Devoti¬
ons, thus calm your Mind, thus raife your Heart, 'till
the Day comes on which King Charles was murdered ?
Is not jhis like Haying 'till then before you repent?
XIX. Farther, when theDifciples of our Lord could
r-ot call the evil Spirit out of a Man that was a Luna-
tick, he not only tells them, it was for want of Faith,
hutallo gives them a very important Inltru&ion in thofe-
Words, Hovel eit this kind goeth net out, hut by Prayer
and Fajling. Matt.' xvii. 21.
Now, does this look as if Falling were defigned on¬
ly for a Day or two in the Year ? Is it rank'd with
Prayer, as being equally prevalent with God ? And is-
not this fulficient to teach us, that we mull think of
Failing as we think of Prayer; that it is a proper Way
of Devotion, a right Method of applying to God?
And if that Prayer is moll prevailing and enters far-
thell into Heaven, which is attended with Falling, it is
Proof enough furely, that Faking is to he a common
ordinary Part of our Devotion.
Is it powerful enough, by the Blefsing of God, to
call out Devils, and cure Ljunaticks ? And lhall we ne-
gleft it, when we pray againll the evil Tempers which
polTefs our Hearts ? Shall we not then pray to God in
the moll powerful prevailing Manner that we can ?
If we were to Fall without Praying, would not this
be a Way of Worlhip of our own Invention ? And if
we pray and neglect Falling, is it not equally chufmg
a Worlhip of our own ? For he- that has taught us the
Ufe and Advantage of Prayer, has alfo taught us the
Ufe and Advantage of Failing. And has likewife join'd
them together,, as having the fame Power with Goo
C 41
XX. We may alfo obferve, that t'he Reafon of Seh~
denial and Abftinence is perpetual, becaufe we are peiy
tkfeTos Petua% united to a Body, that is more or Iefs fit to -
;1^ join with the Soul in Ads of Holinefs, according to the
State it is in.
It is therefore abfohrtely neceflary that we avoid every
Degree of Indulgence, every kind of Irregularity,
that may make our Bodies lefs active or lefs fit for the
JJt.; Purpofe of a holy Life.
Chriftian Temperance is no more that which pafles-
for Temperance in the Sight of Men, than Chriftian
Charity is that which pafles for Charity in the World.
A worldly Man may think himfelf temperate, when
he only abftains from fuch Excefles as may make him
fitter to enjoy 3 healthful Senfuality.
But Chriftian Temperance is of quite anQther Kind,
and for other Ends. It is to keep the Body in a State-
of Purity and Submiflion, and to preferve in the Soul
" | a divine and heavenly Tafte.
XXI. It is out of all Queftion, that there are fome-
States of Body fitter for Virtue than others.
This is as certain as that Gluttony and Drunkenmfs.
difpofe Men to all forts of Sins,, and give them a dif-
reiifh for all forts of Holinefs. For as thefe Vices have
the utmoft Contrariety to Religion, fo every Approach
lit]® I)
•ytrciKar..
hi8«e-J
}iw
iiiv$
is, in a certain Degree, partaking
toward them
tliem.
A Man vthat lives fo as not to be called either a.
Glutton or a D>unkard, may yet be fo near them, as-
to partake of thoie Tempers which are the Efteds of
Gluttony and Dmnkenntfs.
As a Man may be Vain and Uncharitable, yet not:
fh as to be remarkable for his Vanity and Uncpaiita-
blenefs, fo he may be under the Guilt and evil Efteds
®f Eating and Drinking, tho' not fo*as to be efteerfod.
either a Glutton or Intemperate.
So that a wife Chriftian will conftantly pradife fuch
-Abftinence, as may not only fecure him from Senfuali- s
, ty in the Sight of the World, but as belt fuits with
a Body which is the holy Habitation of a Soul devo-
' <fl ted to God..
D a XXIL St.
&P"'
ff ^y
;
C 4a )
XXII. St. Paul faith, I therefore fo run, not as uneer~-
tainly ; fo fght I, not as one that beateth the dir. But
I keep under my Body, and bring it into Subjection, left'
that by any Means, when I have preach"1 d to others, I
myflf fhould be a Caftaway. i. Cor. ix.
Let it be obferv'd, that the Apoftle pra&ifed this
Self-denial, not only as a good and advifable Thing,
but as of thelaft"Neceftity. It was not,.as he was an.
Apoftle, and that he might be litter for the miraculous
Gifts of the Holy Ghoft: But it \Vas,. to fecure his
Salvation, oand left when he had preach?'d to others, he
fhould himfelf be a Caft aw ay.
Let it be confidefd, that this Apoftle, who lived in.
Jnfrmities, in Reproaches, in Necejpties, in Perfccutions,
in Diftrejfes for Chrift's Sake, who was alfo full of Signs
and Wonders, and mighty Deeds, and who had been
caught up into the third Heavens ; yet reckons all hk
"Virtues as infecure, and his Salvation in danger, with-
©ut this conftantly continued Courfe of univerfal Self-
denial. Nay he thought all his Advancements in Pkty,.
without this, to be as vain a Labour a3 beating the
'Air.1
So run J, fays he, not as uncertainly;. by which he
plainly teacheth us, that he who does not thus run,
.who does not thus continually keep the Boiiy under,,
does run uncertainly, and fghteth to as little Purpofe as
he that beateth the Air.
An Apoftle preaching the Gofpel with Signs and.
Wonders, in the midft of Diftrefs and Perfecution, thought
his own Salvation in danger,, without this Subje&ion of
his Body. And fhall we think it fafe to feed to the
lull, and indulge our Bodies in Eafe and Plenty ?
XXIII.. There are no Truths more plainly delivered
in Scripture than, thefe two, the general Corruption or
human Nature, and" the abfolute Neceftity of Divine
Grace. Now thefe make the Neceftity of a continual
Self-denial plain and obvious to the meaner! Capacity;
and extend it to all thofe Things and Enjoyments
which either, ftrengthen the Corruption of our Nature,
or grieve the Holy Spirit of oOD,. and caufe him to.
depart feem us.
Whoever
C 43 )
".tita!®v Whoever reflects on thefe, will foon be convinced,,
: • jir, 1[| that all thofe Enjoyments are to be abftained from,
""%3vj [ which either fupport our natural Corruption, or hinder
• the Infpirations of the Holy Spirit.
He will find alfo, that this Self-denial mull extend
itfelf to every Day of our Lives, unlefs he can find a
Day,, which offers nothing fuitable. to the Corruption
-MViskijl of his Nature, or nothing contrary to the good Mo~
-rfatkme; tkms of the Holy Ghoft.
: yi\to fcr XXIV. Moil People acknowledge this in general j.
That we ought to avoid what ftrengthens our Corrupti¬
ons and grieves the Spirit of God : But then they
Apcffie, kM think to abffain from grofs Sin is fufficient for this.
: nPfljU But let fuch confider, that a Dropfy or a Gangrene,
h nof only increafed by. Drunkennefs, but by every
little Indulgence that fuits with it.
f{t[Sy ! Now the Corruption of our Nature is an inbred Dr-
fiemper that poffeffes us in the Manner of a Dropfy or
Gangrene. If we give into notorious Sins, it quite
overcomes us, and we are ftraightway dead in Sin.
But tho' we keep clear of great Offences, yet if we.
indulge ourfelves in little Things that fuit with the
Corruption of our Nature, we certainly nouriih a flow
Death, and dcftroy ourfelves by Degrees.
Our Self denial therefore muff be as univerfal as the
Means of our Corruption. It is to laft as long as our
Diforder, and to extend itfelf to every Thing that
might increafe it. And, this for as plain a Reafon.
as a Man in a* Dropfy is- not only to abftain from
- • - Drunker.nefs, but front every Indulgence that increafes
his Diforder.
XXV. Let it be farther confider1 d, that the Cor-
' ruption of our Nature is but faintly reprefented by
jfltp comparing it to thefe Diftempers. For one in thefe
Diftempers may have only fome Part affedted; but the
Corruption of cur Natures is as extenfive as our Na-
V;: tures. It is the Corruption of every Faculty and every
Power. It is BliridneCs in our Underftandings; it is
- Self-love and Peryerfenefs in our Wills, Intemperance
in our Appetites. - It is Anger, Luft, Pride and Re-
. " venge in our Paffions; it is Falfenefs, Hypocrify, Malice
said Hatred in cur Hearts. Now ail this, and far
more
( 44 )
more than this, makes the miferable Corruption c,
human Nature.
So that it is as neceffary that oar Liv<36 be a State of
Regjmcn, contrary to this Variety of Diforders, as it is
neceffary for a Man under a Complication of Diltem-
pers, to obferve a Courfe of Regularity.
For feeing all ill Tempers are increafed by Indul¬
gence, and the more we yield to any, the llronger it
grows, 'tis plain we muft praftife as many forts of
Self-denial as we hare ill Tempers to contend with.
XXVI. When we fpeak of Self-denial, we are apt to
confine it to Eating and Drinking; but we ought to
coofider, that thefe are the eafieft and fmalleft Inllances
of it. Pride, Vanity, Self-love, Covetoufnefs, Envy,
and other Inclinations of the like nature, call for a
more conftant and watchful Self-denial, than the Ap¬
petites of Hunger and Thirft.
'Till therefore our Self deniaWs as unhserfal as our
Corruption ; 'till we deny ourfelves all Degrees of Va¬
nity and Folly, as earneftly as we deny ourfelve's all
Degrees of Drunkennefs; till we rejedt all forts of
Pride and Envy, as we atyior all kinds of Gluttony;
till we watch and deny all irregular Tempers, as we
avoid all forts of Senfuality, we can no more be faid
to praftife Self-denial, than he era be faid to be Juft,
who only denies hirnfelf the Liberty of Stealing.
And till we do thus univerfally deny ourfelves, our
Lives will be a ridicubits Mixture of I know not what;
fober and covetous, proud and devout, temperate and
vain, regular in our Forms of Prayer, and irregular in
our Paflions, circumfpedt in little Modes of Behaviour,
and carelefs of Tempers the moil eflential to Piety.
XXVII. A little Attention to that great Principle of
Reafon and Religion^ That God is our only Good, will
convince us Rill farther of the Necefsky of univerfal
Self denial.
For what can be a greater Self-denial, or more con-
tradidtory to all our natural Sentiments, than to live
and gOvern ourfelves by a Happinefs that'is to be had
hi God alone? A Happinefs which our Senfes, our <
old Guides, neither fee, nor feel, nor tslle, nor per¬
ceive : A Happinefs which gives us neither Figure,
nctr
C 45 )
nor Dignity, nor Power, nor Glory, among one
another ? _ , .
ibtjk ^°°k at Man in his natural State, afting by the
Dfeeis Judgment of his Senfes, following the Motions of his-
Nature; and you will fee him afting as if the World
was full of infinite forts of Happineis.
He has not only a thoufand imaginary Pleafurss,
but has found out as many Vexations; all which ihew,
that he thinks Happinefs is every where to be found.
For no one is vex'd at any Thing, unlefs he thinks he
is difappointed of fome pofsible Happinefs.
"* A Happinefs therefore in God alone, is the greateft
■ Contradiftion to all our natural Tempers. Not only
as it propoles a Good which our Senles cannot relifb,
; - but as it leads us from all thofe imaginary Enjoyments
on which our Senfes have fix'd our Hearts.
- - "trM f XXVIII. If then we think of Religion, without Self-
denial, we know nothing at all of it. For its whole
1 Nature is,. To direft us by a Light and Knowledge and
Wifaom from God, which is all contrary to the Dark-
: - nefs, Ignorance and Folly of our Natures.
It is therefore altogether impofsible for any Man t©
• . enter into the Spirit of Religion, but by denying him-
. ;Iav felf, by being divefted of all his natural Tempers and
; : Judgments, which have been formed by the blind Mo*-
tions of Flefh and Blood, and ftrengthen'd by the Ex¬
ample and Authority of the World. He cannot walk
1 in the Light of God, unlefs he rejeft the Dreams of
his Senfes, and the Darknefs of worldly Wifdom.
"T We may let our Senfes tell us, what we are to Eat
and Drink, or when we are to Sleep. We may let
them teach us, how near we may draw to a Fire, how
great-a Burden we may carry, or into how deep a Wa¬
ter we may go. In thefe Things they are our proper
Guides.
' ' But if we appeal to them to know the true Good
of Man, or the proper Happinefs of* our rational Na¬
ture; if we as'k them what Guilt there is in Sin, or*
what Excellence there is in Piety ; if we confult them
as Guides in thefe Matters; \ye aft full as abfurdly as
' V | if we were to try to hear with our Eyes, or_tofee with*
if'' I eur Ears,.
I-11 , XXIX.
XXIX. While we forget this, all our Judgments of
Things are corrupted by the Grofsnefs and Errors of
our Senfes.
We judge of every thing in the fame Manner as the
Child judges of Ms Play Things. It is by our Senfes
alone we pafs the Judgment, tho' we think we aft with
the Reafon of Mat:.
The World is made up of fne Sights, Sports, Shew
and Pageantry, which pleafe and captivate the Minds
of Men, becaufe Men have Hill the Minds of Children
and are juH the fame Slaves to their Senfes that Chil¬
dren are.
As Children and Men fee the fame Colours in Things,
fo Children and Men feel the feme fenfible Pleafures,
and are affefted with external Objefts in the fame
Manner.
But the Misfortune is, that we laugh at the little
Pleafures, poor Defigns, and trifling Satisfactions of Chil¬
dren ; while at the fame time the Wifdom and Greatntjs
of Men, is vifibly taken up with the fame Trifles.
A Coach and Six and an embroider d Suit, fhall make
a great Statefman as happy,, as ever a Go-cart and Fea¬
ther made a Child.
A Ik a Child, What he thinks he would do with a
great Sum of Money ? ^hy, he would buy twenty
little Horfes, he would have twenty fine Coats, fee all
fine Sights, and the like.
Now promife but a Man a great Efiate, and you will
raife all thefe fame Thoughts and Defigns in hi Mind.
And whence is this, but from hence, that Men aft
with the fame Vanity of Mind, are under the iame poor
Guidance of their Senfes, are as ignorant of their true
Happinefs, as great Strangers to their own Nature, and
as far from a true Senfe of their Relation to God, as
when they firft fet out in Life.
And is not this a plain Reafon for Self-denial ? For
to indulge ourfelves in our natural Tempers, is to grow
old in the Follies of Childhood.
XXX. Let us take another View of the Diforder of
our Nature, that we may fee a Hill greater Neceflity oi
not walking according to it.
When we fee People drunk, or in a violent Pafiion,
we
they are fo lone
Uto
seCikninT:,
XjtSsil^
ik^air
i State of Delufion, think¬
ing, faying, and doing irregular Things, by the mere
Force of their Blood, and Spirits. Here we all fee the
Power of our Bodies over our Reafon ; and never fup-
pofe a Man capable of judging or ailing wifely, fo long
as he is under the Violence of PaJJion, or heated by Drink,
Now this is more or lefs the conitant, natural State
of all Mankind; who are by bodily Impreflions, and
the Agitations of the Blood and Spirits,' in the fame
kind of D lujion, as Men that are drunk, or in a PaJJion,
tho1 not always in the fame Degree.
Sometimes the Diforder is more violent than at others.
But it never ceafes. Men are always in fomz PaJJion or
other ; and this, even when it is not to that Degree, as
to be vifible and to give Offence to others, yet occafions
the fame Weaknefs of Mind, the fame diforder'd Ima¬
gination, and the fame wrong Apprehenfion of the Na-
"p; ture of Things
A filent Envy, a fecret Vanity, which no Body fees,
raifes Thoughts in our Mind, and diforders our Judg-
;i- ' -• tnents in the fame manner as more violent Pafsions.
You may increafe the Vanity or Envy, till it end in
kw . Diilradlion, as it fometimes happens. But then you may
be fure, it difordered our Underftanding in fome De¬
gree, long before it came to Madnefs. All Men there-
lore, while in a natural State, refemble thofe who are
Pit,' drank, or in a violent Pafsion ; having fome Pafsion or
: other that affefts their Spirits and diforders their Judg¬
ment, in the fame manner, tho' not in the fame Degree.
XXXI. Another Circuiaftance -of Drunkenhefs is this,
r...■< that it gives us a Taile peculiar to it, fo as to leave a
h.-y-; Dulnefs and Indifpcfition in the Mind towards any
thing elfe. An habitual Drunkard has no Pleaiure like
that confided Heat of Thoughts that arifes from in¬
flamed Blood. The repeating this fo often has given him
a Turn of Mind that relilhes nothing but what relates to
Intemperance.
Now this is naturally the State, of all People., in fome
refpedt or other. There is fomething has got hold of
them, and given them aTafte for it, in the fame man¬
ner that Drinking has formed the Tafte of a Drunkard.
All People are not intemperate j but all are under fome
Habit
( )
Habit that affects the Mind in the fame Manner as In.
temperance.
Some People have indulg'd themfelves fo long in
;Drejfing, others in Play, others in Sports of the Field,
others only in little gojjipivg Stories, that they are as much
Slaves to thefe, as the intemperate Man to Liquor.
Now we readily own, that a Man who has enflaved
himfelf to Drinking, has thereby render'd himfelf in¬
capable of being a reafonable Judge of other Happinefs;
but then we do not enough -confider, that we are hurt
in the fame Manner by any Thing elfe that has taken
hold of us, and given us a Temper and Turn of Mind
peculiar to it.
It is to as little Purpofe to talk of the Happinefs of
Religion, to one that is fond of Drefs, or Play or
'Sports, as to a Drunkard; for the Pleafures of thefe
particular kinds, make him as deaf to all other Pro-
pofals of Happinefs, and as incapable of judging of
them.
A Lady abominates a Sot, as a Creature that has
only the Shape of a Man: But then fhe does not con¬
fider, that perhaps, drunken as he is, he can be more
content with the want of Liquor, than fhe can with the
want of Jinc Cloaths. And if this be her Cafe, fhe only
differs from him, as one intemperate Man differs from
another.
U
Thus it appears, whether we confider the Nature,
Cifcumftances or Effedls of Drunkennefs, that all Man¬
kind are more or lefs in the fame State of Weaknefs
and Diforder.
Hence alfo appears the abfolute Necefsity of denying
all our natural Tempers and Inclinations, and giving
an our natural i earners ana inclinations, ana giving
oiyffelves up without Referve to the Light and Wildom
■of God ; fince by our natural Corruption and Slavery
to the Body, we are always under the Power of its
blind Motions, and fince all our Inclinations and Judg¬
ments, are only the Judgments of heated Blood, drunk¬
en Spirits and diforder'd Pafsions.
XXXII. Every one fees People in the World/ whom
he takes to be incapable of fiber Judgments and -r;ft
Reflections, becaufe he fees they are full of them '- '1,
blinded
I of'it n .
cft.v- &1
r the
blinded with Prejudices, violent in their Pafsions, wild
and extravagant in their Imaginations.
Now when we fee thefe, we fhould reflect that we fee
Sforti dfe! ourfelves; for we as certainly fee a true Reprcfentation
iittWu- ourfelves, when we look at fuch People, as we fee
a true Pi flu re of our State, when we fee a Man in
the Agonies of Death.
You are not dying as this Man is; but ftill he fhews
rfofci you your own true Pifture. He fhews you that your
:T tkut ^ife ls 'n r^e Death, that you have in yon
.J. the Seeds of Sicknefs and Mortality, and that you are
only at a little uncertain Diftance from thofe who are
lying upon their lall Beds.
In like manner, you are not, it may be, in the
fame Height of Paflion that another Man is. You arc
at fame uncertain Defiance from his State. But if you
fancy you are not corrupted with Self-love, not weak-
en'd by Prejudices, not vain in your Imaginations, not
" difordered in your Tempers, becaufe you are not in
that Extremity of Diforder wherein fome other People
are; you think as abfurdly, as if you imagined your-
: -" felf to be immortal, becaufe you are not in the Agonies
-;;xj of Death.
- ' When therefore- you fee the Violence of other Mens
Pafsions, the Folly of their Tempers, and Vanity of
their Minds, remember that you fee fo many plain
Reafons for denying yourfelf, and refilling your own
Nature, which has in it the Seeds of all the fame
evil Tempers.
XXXII. From all this we may learn, (as was ob-
ferv'd above) that Abftinence as to Eating and Drink-
'' mg, is but a fmall Part of Chriftian Self-denial: It be¬
ing full as dangerous to indulge any evil Temper, as
'o liv^e in Gluttony and Intemperance.
You think it fhameful to be an Epicure, or to be
fond of Liquor. You are very right; but then pro-
cecd a Step further, and think it as fhameful fo be
.. ;:;j) fond of Drefs, or delighted with yburfelf, or to be fo»d
of Dainties; and that it is as great a Sin, to pleafe any
corrupt Temper of your Heart, as to pleafe your Pa-
'atc. Remember, that Blood heated with any Paffion,
h like Blood heated with Liquor, and that the Grofsnefs
E of
1 50 ;
Crf Gluttony is no greater a Contrariety to Religion*
than the Politenefs of Pride or Vanity.
I have been the longer on this Subjeft, trying to re-
prefent the Weaknefs and Corruption of our Nature,
..becaufe fo far only as we fee this, can we fee the Ne-
.cefsity of denying ourfelves. This would be needlef<j,
if we were wife and good; but if we fee that our
whole Nature is in diforder, that our Light is Dark-
jiefs, our Wifdom Foolifhnefs, our Judgments as grofs
and blind as our Appetites; that our Senfes govern
us as they govern Children; that our Hearts are taken
.up with Gevuganvs and Trifles ; that the State of our
Souls is a State of Error and Delufion, like that of
Jlrunkennefs.'and Pafsion.
If we fee ourfelves in this true Light, we fhall fee
the great Reafon of Chriftian Self-denial, of renoun¬
cing our whole Selves, that we may fee all Things in
God ; that our Hearts may be moved by a Motion
from him, and our Wills and Inclinations wholly di-
' jefted by the Light and Wifdom of his Spirit.
CHAP. IV.
TH E Necejfity of Divine Grace, another General
Ground of Self-denial.
I. I come now to another great Do&rine of our Re¬
ligion, namely, the ahfolute Necejfity of Divine'Grace \
.which is another ccnftant Reafon for univerfal Self-
denial.
The invifible Operation and ALsiftanca of God1!;
Holy Spirit, by which we are difpofed towards that
which is good, and jaiade able to perform it, is a con-
jefled Doftrine of Chriftianity,
Our natural Life is prefervM by fotne. Union with
God, who is the Fountain of Life to all the Creation;
to which Union we are altogether Strangers. We find
that we are alive, as we find that we think; but how
or by what Influence from God our Life rs fupportea,
js a Secret into -which we cannot enter. It is the fame
sj. " , . ■■ c 3TI ) ^ <
Thing with delation to our fpiritual -Life, or Life of
0{-.; Grace; it arifes from fome invifible Union with God,
or divine Influence, which in this State we cannot
comprehend. Our BlefTed Saviour faith : The Wind
if we llnveth where it lijieth, and thou hearef the Sound
cap.. thereof, but can'fi net tell whence it cometh, and whi •
ther it 'goeth ; fo is every one that is born of the Spirit.
. .\v fa) This Ihews us how ignorant we are of the Man¬
ner of the Operations of the Holy Spirit. We may
ir" feel its Efiefts, as we may perceive the EfFedts of the
Wind, but are as much Strangers to the Manner of its'
coming upon usy as we are Strangers to that exa3
Point, from whence the Wind begins to blow, or'
where it will ceafe.
II. The Spirit of God is like the Nature of God,
too high for our Conceptions, whilft we are in thefe'
dark Houfes of Clay. But our blelted Saviour has in
fome Degree help'd our Conceptions in this Matter, by
the Manner of his giving the Holy Spirit to the Dif-
ciples; and he breathed on them, and JaicCunto them,-
• • Receive ye the Holy Ghoji. By this we are taught to
conceive of the Communications of the Holy Spirit,-
with fome Likenefs to Breath, or Wind ; that its In¬
fluences come upon us in fome Manner, like to a gentle
Breathing of the Air. Reprefentations of this kind-
are only made in Compliance with the Weaknefs of
our Apprehenfions ; which, not being able to conceive
Things as'they are in'their own Nature,- muft be in
lhudted, by comparing them to fuch Things as our
in'fee [ Senfes are acquainted with. Thus the Wifdom and-
Knmvlcdge, that is revealed from God, ii compar'd to
! Light; not becaufe Light is a true Reprefentation of
the Wifdom of God ; but becaufe it ferves beft to re -
prefent it to our low Capacities. In like manner, the
Infuences of the Holy Spirit, are fet forth by breath¬
ing upon us; not becaufe Breath, or Air, or Wind,-
are true R.eprefentations of the Gifts of the Spirit, bu?
becaufe they are the properefl Reprefentations that as
yet fall within our Knowledge.
III. But that which is moft necefiary for us to
know, and of which we are fufficiently inform'd
E z in
(a). John iii. S,
m,
( 51 )
?n Scripture, is the abjblute NeceJJity of this divine
Affiftance.
We are ufed to confider thofe only as infpired Per-
fons, who are called by God to forae extraordinary
Defigns. In this Senfe there have been but few infpir'd
Perions; but Infpiration, as it fignifies an Jnvifble Ope¬
ration, Of /jjfifiance and InftruElion of God's Holy Spi¬
rit, is the common Gift and Privilege of all Chrilbans:
in this Senfe of Infpiration, they are all infpir d Perfons.
Know ye not, faith St. Paul, that your Body is the 7 cmple
cf the Holy Ghoji, which is in you ? St. John likevvife.
Hereby know we that he dwelleth in us, by the Spirit,
which he hath given us. For as many as are led ly the
Spirit of God, are the Sons of God, and if any Man
hath not the Spirit of Chrifi, he is none of his. (a) From
thefe, and many other Paffages of the like nature, it
is undeniably plain, that the Life which we now live,
is a Life in and by the Spirit of Goo; and that they
are only Sons of God, who are led by this Spirit.
Now this Dodlrine plainly proves the Neceility of a
conftant Self-denial; for it mud be necefiary that we
deny ourfelves all thofe Tempers, and Ways of Life,
which may make God withhold his Grace from us;
and likewife all thofe Enjoyments and Indulgences,
which may make us lefs able and Lfs difpos^d to improve
and co operate with thofe Degrees of divine Grace
that are communicated to us.
IV. And feeing we are none of Chrifl's, if the Spirit
of Chrift be not in us; feeing we are only fo far Chri-
dians, as we are renew'd by the Holy Ghod ; nothing
can be more necefiary than that we confider all our
jTempers^. Pleafures, Cares, Ddigns and Ways of Life,
whether they be fuch as fat with the Wifdom and
heavenly Guidance of the Holy Spirit. This DoLrine
fhevvs us to ourfelves in a new Point of View, and may
ferve to teach us feveral Truths, which we fhould other-
wife not fo readily apprehend.
When we are left to confider our Duty with rela¬
tion to the exprefs Commandments of God, there are
many Ways of Life, which we think ourfelves at liber¬
ty to follow, becaufe they feem to be no plain Breach
of
(a) Rom, viii. ii..
C 5 5 )
^ ^ i S- gf any exprefs Commandment. But we are to looS
to a farther Rule, and to conlider our Pleafures and
r:r- Cares, our Deiigns and Endeavours, not only whether
' they are contrary to the Letter of the Law, but whe¬
ther they are according to the Spirit of God ; for if
: they are contrary to the Spirit of God, they are as
wdsE: truly to be avoided, as if they were contrary to fome
~ • "~j exprefs Commandment. For we are affur'd by Scrip-1
—"jirVy ture, that they only are the Sons of God, ivho
■ '' :';4 led by the Spirit of God ; and none can be faid to be
led by the Spirit of God, but they whofe Lives are
" - ^ h according to it, whofe Adtions, Cares, and Pleafures,
:5!sn Hopes and Fears, are fuch as may be faid to be guiJ
ded by the Motions of the Holy Ghoft.
V. We are therefore to confider ourfelves as infpiri
- r: Perfons, that have no Knowledge or Wifdom, but what
vie;-,!® comes from God; and this Wifdom will no longer
dwell with us, than we act and conduct ourfelves con¬
formably thereto. So that we muft not vainly deceive
: ourfelves in faying, where is the Harm of fuch Indul-
x; gences. or fuch Vanities and idle Anvafements P But muit'
; ■ confider, whether they are fuch as are conformable to
Gn.:: a Life that is to be directed by the Holy Ghoft. In
. this Manner muit we examine all our Ways of Life,
as well our Cares as our Pleafures. For unreafonable
Cares, and unreafonable Pleafures, are equally con¬
trary to the Wifdom of the Holy Spirit, and equally
feparate us from him. People often think their De--
figns and Diverfions innocent, becaufe they are not
ftnful in their Nature. But they fhould alfo confider,
whether they are not wain and foolifh, and unfuitabl'e
to the Condition of a Chriftian. For a Life of Folly
and Vunity, and trifing Defgns, is no more living by
the Spirit of God, than a Life of grofs Sins is keep¬
ing the Commandments. So that the fafeil Rule to judge
of our Adtions by, is to confider them with relation to
that Spirit, by Which we are to be guided. Is this
; Hefign or this Diverfion according to the Wifdom of
the Spirit of God ? Am I in thefe Things improving
the fecret Infpiration of the^Holy Ghoft ? Am I here
- governed by a Wifdom from above ? Are thsfe "Ways
. fuch. as I can truly fay, that I am led into them by the
E x Spirit
C- 5+ )
Spirit of God ? Do I allow myfelf in them, becaufe
they ferve to fet forth the Glory of God ? Are they
good Proofs that the Spirit of God dwelleth in me;
and that by thus fowing to the Spirit, I fhall of the
Spirit reap everlafting Life ? This is the Rule by which
Chriftians are to regulate their Thoughts, Words, and
Aftions; for we are called by God to aft by the Mo¬
tions of his Holy Spirit,, and to make no other Ufe of iif
ourfelves, or the World we are in, than fuch as is W
conformable to that Dignity of Life and State of Glo¬
ry to which we are called. The Spirit of our Religi- ill
on is to be the Spirit of our Lives, the conftant Principle H
©f all our Tempers and Inclinations, which is to render
us reafonable, and wife and holy in all our Progrefs :i
thro' the World. ii
VI. The Renewal of our Hearts by the Spirit of God tin
fills our Minds with great and fublime Truths, and
gives us Defires and Inclinations, Hopes and Fears,,
Cares and Pleafures fuitable to them. i mi
This is being born of the Spirit: Hence appears a ,i
plain Reafon of an itn'averfal Self-desiialy becaufe the tl
Spirit of the World and the Spirit of our corrupt ft
Hearts, is in a State of Contrariety to this Spirit and
Wifdom which is from above. And it is the Bufinefs
©f our Lives, to contradift thofe Motions of our Hearts,
and thofe Tempers of the World, that are contrary My
to this Spirit, which is the Principle of ouf new Life
in Chrift. fIj'j
VII. 'Tis acknowledg'd by all, that a Life of In¬
temperance and Debauchery, makes us dead and fenfelefs ^
of Religion : But then it is not enough confidered that
the Vanity of the Mind, an Underftanding bufied in
'Trifles, an impertinent Courfe of Life, will as certainly
produce the fame Rjfctt. If our Underftanding is full
of foolifh Imaginations, if we are devoted to Trifles,
Religion can gain no Entrance. A Man may be fo |,
earned in picking Straws, as to have no Leifure to think
of his Salvation j nor any more Inclination to it, than
one that is conftantly in Drink.
Thus poor Amufements, vain Atts, ufelefs Sciences,
impertinent Learning, falfe Satisfaction, a wrong I am
of Mind}. a State of Idlencfs, or any the vaiaeft Lrifes
of ™k
c 55 y
of Life, may keep Men at as great a Dlftance fronv
true Religion, as the Debaucheries of Intemperance.
VIII. T i t i u s is temperate and regular: But then
he is fo great a Mathematician, that he does not know
when Sunday comes: He fees People going to Church
as he fees others going to Market; he goes on ftudy-
ing, meafuring, and calculating, and may as well be
call'd a Merchant a* a Chrfiian.
AllDodtrines of Religion are difagreeable to Philo ;
he avoids them as he avoids Party: Now what's the
Reafon of it ? It is not becaufe he is debauch''d and in-
temperate. But he is a Virtuofo, devoted to polite Li
■ stasia | terature. His Soul is extended to all the Curio ft ties in
■ aalmliS! the World, and thinks all Time to be loft that is not
(pent in the Search of Shells, Urns,. Infcri'ptidns, and
-tytiifiBt broken Pieces of Pavements. This makes the Concerns
of Eternity feem fmall Things in his Eyes, fit only for
, Heps ail the Enquiry of narrow, little, and unpolite Souls,
iifli. Eusebius would read Prayers twice a Day in his
Hafflsj Par fa; he would be often with the Poor, and Sick,
and fpend much Time in charitable Vifits; he would
be wholly taken up with the Care of Souls, but that
he is bufy in ftudying the old Grammarians, and would
fain reconcile fome Differences amongft them before he
dies.
IX, Lvcia might be pious; but that fhe is too
s xgfrttil eafh gay> and chearful,. to admit of Care of any kind,.
She can no more repent, than fhe can be out of Tem-
: .-jia! per, and muft be the famt fpark'ling, chearful Creature
in the Clyurch, as in the Play-houfe. She might be
"capable of underftanding the Mifery of human Nature,
* an<^ Ncceffity e Comforts of Religion; but
" , that (lie is fo happy every time lhe is\drefs'd.
Matrona is old, and has been thefe fifty Years
eating and drinking,, fleeping and waking, dreffing
and undrefling, paying and receiving Vifits. She has
no Prophanenefs; and, if fhe has no Piety, it is ow¬
ing to this, that fhe never had a fpare Half-hour to
think about it. She envies her Daughters, becaufe
they will drefs and vfit when fhe is dead.
Publius goes to Church fometimes, and reads the
Scripture; but he knows not what he reads or prays,
his
v t"a
C 5* )
his Head is fo full of Politicks. He is fo angry
Kings and Minifters of State, that he has no Time or
Difpofition to call himfelf to Account. He h s the
Hiftory of all Parliaments, E left ions, Profecutions and
Lnpeacbments, and dies with little or no Religion, thro'
a conftant Fear of Popery.
Siccus has been all his Life-long building and puU
ling-donxjn, making Canals and Ditches, raifing Walls
and Fences. People call him a good Man, becaufe he
employs the Poor: Siccus might have been a religious
Man, but that he> thought building was the chief Hap-
pinefs of a rational Creature. He is all the Week a-
mongft Dirt and Mortar, and ftays at home on Sun¬
days to view his Contrivances. He will die more con¬
tentedly, if his Death does not happen, whilft fome
Wall is in building.
X. I have mention'd thefe feveral Charafters to
fhew that it is not only Prophanenefs,. Debauchery, and
open Vices, that, keep Men from the- Imprefsions of
true Religon; but that the mere Play-tbings of Life,
impertinent Studies, vain Atnufements, falfe Satisfactions,
idle Difpofitions, will produce the fame Effeft. A wrong
Turn of Mind, impertinent Cares, a Succefsion of the
poorejl Trifles, if they take up our Thoughts, leave no
more room for true Piety than grofs Senfuality.
* XI. We fee even in worldly Matters, that if we
propofe any Thing to^a Man, when he is in the Pur-
fiiit of fomething elfe, he hardly hears or underftands
us; we muft flay for a Seafon of more Leifure and In¬
difference, till his Thoughts and Pafsions are at reft.
Now this holds much ftronger in Matters of Religi¬
on. Its Doftrines are neither heard nor underftood,
becaufe it always finds us in the Purfuit of fomething
elfe. It matters not what this fomething elfe is; the Mind
is equally employed wrong, and fo not in a Condition
to like, or at leifure to liften to any other Happinefi.
If you were to propofe the fame Truths to a Man in
another State, when Wearinefs or Difappointment has
made him give up all Defigns, or when Sicknefs or the
Approach of Death fhews him that he muft aft no longer
in them, they would have quite another Effeft upon him;
then the great Things of Religion appear great indeed:
I
IBs W)T®J
& HtltJ
'ra/nnliail
io MIM
£» it
MI, ft
CLUB
C 57 )
He feels their whole Weight, and is amazM he did not
fee them always in the fame Manner. Now it is the
great End and Defign of Self-denial to put a Stop to
the Follies of Life, that our Souk may quietly conli-
der, and fully comprehend the Truths which come
from God ; that our Hearts, being at liberty from a
Croud of foolifh Thoughts, may be ready to obey and
co operate with the Infpi rations of that Spirit, which
is to lead and quicken us in all Holmefs; that Death
ma. Judgment, Heaven and Hell, may make as deep
Imprefsions upon our Minds in the Middle of our Lives*,
as at our laft Hour ; that we may be as wife and pru¬
dent as fick and dying Men, and live with fuch Appre-
hii dons as moll People die with ; that we may fee the
"Vanity of the World, the Mifery of Sin, the Great-
r.efsof Eternity, and thfe Want of God, as they fee it
who Hand upon the Brink of another World.
XII. This is the great and happy Work of Self-
denial, to awaken us into a true Knowledge of our-
felves, and Ihew us who, and where, and what we are.
Till then our Life is but a Sleep, a Drtam, a mere
W; Succefsion of Shadows; and we aft with as little Rea-
JcEtK (on as a Child that is pleafed with blowing about a
®H> feather. We mull therefore not only deny our wicked
if- Inclinations, but alio all our Follies,, Impertinences,
-W - and vain Satisfaftions: For, as plain and known Sins har-
ten and corrupt, fo Impertinences and vain Satisfaftions
^:' delude and blind our Hearts, and render them infenll-
r t® :"•'•••• ble °f our real Mifcry, or true Happinefs.
XIII. We are true Members of the Kingdom of
God; when the Kingdom of God is within us; whea
the Spirit of Religion is the Spirit of our Lives; when
feated in our Hearts, it diffufos itfelf into .all our Mo¬
tions ; when we are wife by its Wifdom, fober by its
Sobriety, and humble by its Humility; when it is the
Principle of all our Thoughts and Defires, the Spring, of
all our Hopes and Fears; when we like and dillike,
kek and avoid, mourn and rejoice, as becomes thofe .
who are born #gain of God. And this is the Work
ft the Lloly Spirit in our Hearts, to give us a
Uneh. r(landing, a ncvo Judgment, Temper, Talle,
*klilh, new Defires, and new Hopes and Fears.
4
U)m
A
r Pf
new
and
But
fo
C 58 )
fo far as we nourifh any foolifti Paftion, indulge any
Vanity of Mind or Corruption of Heart ; fo far we re-
ffl the Graces of God's Holy Spirit, and render our-
felves indiffjoCd to relifll and improve his fecret In/pit a-
tions.
XIV. Chriftiarls are therefore not only to confider
themfelves, as Men that are to aft by a Principle of
Reafon, but as fpiritual Beings who have a higher
Principle of Life within them, and ar'e to live by the
Wifdom and Inf ruffians of the Spirit of God.
As reafonable Men would do every Thing that tend¬
ed to ftrengthen or improve their Reafon, fo Chrifti^ns
ought to praftife every Thing that can ftrengthen or i;
preferve their Union with the Spirit of God. For as
a JVTan without Reafon has but the Figure of a Man; |;:
fo a Chriftiam without the Spirit of God, has but the
Form of a Chriftian. Here therefore muft we fix all'
our Care, and Concern, that we may remove all Hin¬
drances of divine Grace; that we may be truly fpjri- lf)
tual in all our Ways and Defigns, and indulge no
Tempers that may leften our Union with the Spirit of
God., ^ ,8
XV. Some Perfons will perhaps refrain from Grief
when they find that it hurts their Eyes; they will avoid
FaJJion and "Mnger if it ends in Pains of the Head;
but they would do well to confider that thefe Tem¬
pers are to be abftain'd from, upon much greater Ac¬
counts. Paftion may diforder our Bodies, wafte our
Spirits, and leave Pains in our Heads', bet it lea es
greater Marks of Injury in our better Parts, as it throws
us into a State of Madrtefs, and hanifhes the Holy Spi¬
rit of Peace, and Gentlenefsr and prepares us for the
Suggeftions of the Spirit of Darknefs. Grief may
hurt our Eyes, but it much more hurts oar Souls,
as it finks them into a State of Gloom and Darknef,
which expels and quenches the Spirit of God ; for Tight
may as well unite with Darknefsr as the Spirit of God
dwell with the gloomy Dulnefs and Horror of ftupid
Grief. What I have obferved of thefe-two Pafsions,
©ught to be concluded of every other PaJJion and Tem¬
pter ; we are to confider it as itfuits with, or refifts that
new-
- ' t TT T
,new Spirit, by whofe holy Motions we are to be prc-
ferv'd in a State of Holinefs.
XVI. Now feeing this Newnefs of Spirit is the whole
of Religion; we mult fear and avoid all Irregularity of
Spirit, every unreafonable Temper, becaufe it affects us
in the Seat of Life, becaufe it hurts us in our princi¬
pal Part, and makes us lefs capable of the Graces, and
lefs obedient to the Motions of God's Holy Spirit. We
mult labour after a Srate of Peace, Satisfa&ion, and
Thankfulnefs, free from the Folly of vain Hopes, idle
Fears, and falfe Anxieties, that our Souls may be dif-
pofed to rejoice in the Comforts, and advance in the
Graces of the Holy Ghoft.
•- A1; S XVII. And with what Care and ExaClnefs we ar«
at all Times to conduit ourfelves, is fully fet forth in
aefijjp. tpe f®llowing Words: Let no corrupt Communication
J" proceed out of your Mouth, but that which is Good to the
Vfe of edifying, that it may minifier Grace unto the
Hearers : and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, where¬
by you arc fealed unto the Day of Redemption, (a) That
as We may not here miftake what is meant by corrupt
Communication, the Apoftle adds; but that which is
good to the Ufe of edifying, that it may minfer Grace
: unto the Hearers. So that it is a Conversation that
does not edify and profit the Hearers, that the Apoftle
hi:. :ft .condemns as corrupt. And let it be obferv'd that the
• :::B Apoftle does not prohibit this kind of Converfation be-
pmf caufe it is ufelefs, and impertinent/ but for a Reafor.
fssd- of the utmoft Cc-nfequence, that we may ?iot grieve
the Holy Spirit of God. This Brews us that we Chri-
ilians are to govern ourfelves by no lefs a Rule, than,
a Conformity to the Spirit of God ; that we are not on¬
ly to deny ourfelves vain and foolifh Aftions, but alfo
idle and unedifying Difcourfe, and conduit ourfelves
in all our Behaviour, with fuch a Spirit of Wifdom
and Purity as may make the Holy Ghoft delight to
dwell in us. Such a Wifdom as is not occafipnally ex-
ercis'd in this or that Place, or at fet Times; but
is always in Being, and conftantly difpofing us to
Thoughts, Words and Altions fuitable to it.
XVIII. A
f\) Ephef. iv, 2$,
C tfo )
XVIII. A Man may be faid to have fome Regard
For Religion, who is regular at Places of divine Wor-
ihip ; but he cannot be reckon1 d of a religious Spiritf
till it is his Spirit in every Place and on every Occafi-
■on, till he lives and breathes by it, and thinks, and
fpeaks, and ads according to its Motions.
A Man may frequent Meetings for Mirth ; but yet,
if when he is out of them, he gives himfelf unto Pee-
vifhnefs, Chagrin andDulnefs, I prefuriie no one will fay
fuch a Man is of a chearful Spirit. It is eafy to make
the Application : If we are only Attendants at Pleas
of Religion; if when we are out of thofe Places, v,e
are of another Spirit, I don't fay proud or covetoir,
but vain and foolifh; if our Adions are filly, and
our Converfation trifling and impertinent, our Tempers
\*ain and worldly, we are no more of a religious Spit it,
than a dull peevifh Man is of a chearful Spirit, be-
caufe he is regular at fome fet Meetings for Mirth
XIX. Religion is not ours till we live by it; till it
the Religion of our Thoughts, Words and Adfons
till it goes with us into every Place; fits uppermoft on
every Occaflon,- and forms and governs our Hopes
and Fears, our Cares and Pleafures. He is the religi¬
ous Man who watches and guards his Spirit, and en
deavours to be always in the Temper of Religion
who worfhips God in every Place; who is as fearful
of foolifh Thoughts, irregular Tempers, and vain Ima¬
ginations at one Time as at another; who is as wife
and heavenly at Home, or in the Field, as in the Houfe
c/God, For when once Religion has got Poffeflion of
a Man's Heart, and is become as it ought to be, h;t
ruling Temper; it is as agreeable to fuch a one in all
Places, and at all Times, to fpeak and ad according
to its Diredions, as 'tis agreeable"to the ambitious Man,
to ad according to the Motions of Ambition. We
mud therefore take it for granted, that if we are not
religious in oar Cohverfation, or common Temper,
we are not religious in our Hearts; we may have a
Formality of Religion at certain Times and Places, but
we are not of a religious Spirit.
XX. We fee every Body fpeaking and converfmg
according to their Spirit and Temper; the covetous,
the
: of them their proper Language fuitable to their Spirit
a -Jiji and Temper; they are the f.mt Pertons in all Places,
lot Kendi and always talk like themfelves. If therefore we could
„ meet with Perfons of a truly religious Spirit, we Ihould
fc, find them like Men of other Tempers, the fame Per-
•yj&j.) fons in idl Places, and always talking and adling like
themfelves. We fhould find them living by one Tem-
!'aeio«P?r> an<^ converfing with Men with the fame Spirit
j.. that they converfe with Goo ; not one Thing in one
Place, and another in another; not formal and grave at
a Funeral, and mad and frantic at a Feafl; not liften-
ing to Wifdom at Church, and delighting in Folly at
Pome; not angry with one foolifh Thing, and as much
pleas1 d at another; but fteady and uniform in the fame
wife and religious Temper.
XXI. Farther, as we are not of a religions Spirit^
till it is the Spirit of our Life, and orders all our Con¬
verfation ; fo it is carefully to be obferv'd, that if out
Converfation is vain and foolifli, it keeps us in a State
incapable of Religion, hy grieving the Holy spirit. And
as we can do nothing without the Spirit of God, as
• ?. He is our Breath, our Life, our Light, and our Strength 5
fo, if we live in fuch a Way as grieves and remover
r this Holy Spirit from us, we are as Branches that are
r:l broke off from the Tree, and muft perifhin the Dead-
nefs and Corruption of our Nature. Let this there¬
to fore teach us to judge rightly of the Sin and Danger
of vain, unedifying and corrupt Communication ; it is
not the Sin of Idlenefs or Negligence only ; it is not
jsjt- a pardonable Infrtnity, it is not a little Mifake in.
_::L Spiritual Wifdom; but it is a Sin that Hands between.
us and the Tree of Life.; that oppofes our whole Hap-
• ad <2' pinefs, as it grieves and feparates the Holy Spirit from,
us, Let this alfo teach lame People the Reafon why
0 hey are fo dead and fenfelefs of Religion : They are not
guilty of grofs Sins; they have an Averfion to Cheat-
and ¥,■ if emfs; but at the fame Time have no mors
(if Feeling or Senfe of Religion than mere Reprobates. Nov?
f: the Reafon of it is this ; they live in fuch an Imperti-
"nee of Converfation; their Communication is ft> coft-
..jjjiJjfantly upon JiUj and vain Subjects; and they are fo
~ F fond
t 6 )
fond of thofe who have the Talent of converfing in
-the fame Manner, that they render themfelves unfit for
the Refidence of the Holy Spirit. We don't feem to
apprehend, either how much Good or how .much Eiil
there is in Converfation ; I believe it may be affirm'd
that the greateft Inftrudions, and the greateft Cor¬
ruptions proceed from it. for Mens common Con¬
verfation and ordinary Life teach much more effhftual-
iy than any Thing they fay or do at Let Times or Oc-
cafions.
When a Clergymanpreaches, he is for the moll Part
confidered as adding according to his Profefiion, and
-doing that which all Cler gymen do, whether Good or Bad.
But if he is the fame wife and virtuous Man in his
Communication, that he is in the Pulpi*.-, if his Speech
be always fieafori.d with Salt, that it may minificr Grace
unto the Hearers.', if the common and ordinary Adlions of
Lis Life be vifibly govern'd by a Spirit of Piety; fuel)
-a one will be heard with Reverence on the Sunday for
what he lays and does all the Week. And on the
.contrary, if a Clergyman, when he comes out of the
Pulpit, is but like other Men ; as irregular in his Tem¬
pers; as trifiing in his Converfation; as eager in his Di-
verfions; and as <vain in his Defigns; he will mightily
ielfen his Power over the Hearts of his Hearers. ,
A Father now and then gives his Son virtuous Ad¬
vice, and the Son perhaps would be much the better
for it; but that he never hears him talk virtuoufly,
But when he is giving him Advice; this makes him
-think, that he is then only adding the part of a Father',
as when he is buying him Cloaths9 or putting .him out.,
to an Employment. Whereas if he faw his Father's
ordinary Life and Converfation to be under the Rule; of
Religion; and his every Day Temper, a Temper ot
Piety; 'tis very likely that he would be won into an
imitation .of it. $Ji
XXIII. It is our Communication, our ordinary Ftmftr
.and commonLifefiait affects other People, that either hard-
ens them in Sin, or awakens them to a Senfe of Piety.
Let therefore all Clergymen, and Mafiers and Mifinjfn
of Families look carefully to themfelves; let them con-
fideCe that if their ordinary Life, their Communication
»U?i
j
L
«dOl]
Mm;
die Pi/ft;
dial it®j of
ty a
( *1 >
he win, impertinent, and unedifying, they are ttCt Cr.hr
in a corrupt State of Heart, but are guilty of corrupting.,
and perverting the Hearts of thofe that belong to
them. Let them not think that they have fulHci-
ently difcharg'd their Duty, by feeing that thofe
who relate to them, have their proper Inflrudtions ;
for it is next to impoffible for fuch Inftruftions to have
their proper Effedt againll the Example of thofe we
cOtiverfe with. If a Clergyman plays, and drinks, and
[ports with his Flock in the Week Days; let him not
wonder if he preaches them afleep on Sundys. If a
Father is intemperate; if he /wears, and converfes
with his Friends; let him not wonder that his
Children cannot be made virtuous. It L therefore the
neceffary Duty of all Chrifdans, in all States of Life,
to look carefully to their ordinary Behaviour, that it •
be not the Means of poifoning and corrupting the
Hearts of thofe they converfe with. They muft con-
fider,. that all the Follies and Impertinences of their or*
e Week, L dinary Life and Converfation have the Guilt of deftroy-
r-uheconts'- Hg Souls; and that the Blood of thofe whom theijt
. . Trhi Follies have deftrop'd, will be requir'd at their Hands;.
XXIV. It is fometimes faid of a ■foolijh, irregular-
~ ^er^on> that he is only his own Enemy y but this is as
- ottsfc' abfurd as to fay, that a Perfon of eminent Piety is only
L. .3 jffiC his own Friendy for as his liyely Piety will certainly
: : ;Ij(3 communicate itfelf tovthofe about him; fo the Folly
and impertinent Spirit,of am irregular Man, will na-
c ' jiiit turally infeft thofe who are oblig'd to be near him.
- hJr;- XXV. A Miftrefs whofe Converfation is a daily Proof
V: " .'pS f° her Maids, that Ihe is governed by a Spirit of Piety
iftjihe fays and does j whofe Life is a continual yifi-
. £6 Labour to work out her Salvation with Fear and
emhling, is a Blefling to all that ftand about her,. She
communicates Happinefs even to thofe who are born of
her Servants; they will be educated in Piety, becaufe
their Parents learnt what Piety was in waiting on fuch
::Vf; a Mijirefs. 6
XXVL A Good-n atur'd, drinking, Jleeping, plays
B'V • bearing Mafter, is a Curfe to thofe who tend up*
isi[ °n him; they are led into all Irregularities, by foL
tjfji lowing his Steps, and are fent into the World harden'd
* h Follies, and infenfible of Religion, by having liv'd
Fa , \vith«.
i
*
t$fc'v.,.. ••-L■>
C 64 )
with fuch a Mafter. This ought carefutly to be ccti-
fider'd by all Chriftians, as a mighty Encouragement to
an exadl Striftnefs of Behaviour; that as a holy Con¬
verfation intitles us to a Reward for other Peoples Vir¬
tues ; fo an evil Communication makes us liable to a
Punhhment for other Mens Sins. For we can neither
live well nor ill to ourfelves alone; but mull of necef-
iity do either Good or Harm to others by our manner
of Converfation. This is one great Reafon why a vain
corrupt Communication does fo grieve the Holy Spirit;
becaufe it is fo infedling an Evil, and does fo corrupt
the Manners of thofe we converfe with.
Ik
&>&&&&&& % & M, «, & p P P
CHAP. V.
TJi E Necefity of Divine Grace, obligeth allChri-
fiians to a conjlant Purity and Holincfs of Comver'
fation } wherein is Jhewn the great Danger and Impiety
of reading vain and impertinent Boohs.
I. I Have fhewn that the Necejfityof Divine Grace is
a mighty Argument for an univerial Exadinefs of Life
and Converfation. I come now to fpeak farther to
that remarkable Branch of it: Let no corrupt Communi¬
cation proceed out of your Mouth, but that which is good
to the Ufe of edifying, that it may minifer Grace to the
Hearers, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of Gop, at hereby
ye are fealedto the Day of Redemption. Now if we are
to let no corrupt Communication proceed out of our
Mouth, that we may not grieve the holy Spirit of God;
then it follows that we are to deny ourfelves the Entertain¬
ment of all corrv.pt, impertinent, and unedifying Books.
For if vain and idle Words are not to proceed out of
our Mouths, we muft be. under the {amp Neceflity ot
not letting them come into our Hearts.
II. If we would know what Books are to be avoid¬
ed as corrupt and grieving the Holy Spirit, we mull
look back to the Rule of our Communication ; for as
that Communication is there faid to be corrupt that does
not edify andmtnrjler Grace to the Hearers; fo mull we
look
( y
look upon all thofe Books as corrupt,. which d6 not
edify and minijltr Grace to the Readers. Now this
ctk tj] Book-entertainment is as certainly forbidden by the
Hikes Apoftle, as Cheating is forbidden by the eighth Com¬
mandment : For if I am not to fay foolifh and imperti¬
nent Things myfelf, becaufe fuch a. Communication
grieves the Holy Spirit of God ; I am as certainly for¬
bid the Reading the corrupt and impertinent Sayings of
other People.
The Books which moldy corrupt our Hearts, and
fill us with a Spirit of Folly, are fuch as almoft all the
World allow themfelves to read j I mean Books of Wit
and Humour, Romances, Flays, and other Productions
of the Poets. Thus a grave Orthodox old Gentleman,
if he hears that his Neice is very good, and delights
y in reading, will fill her Clofet with Volumes of Flays,
and Poems on feveral Occajtons, on purpofe to encou¬
rage her to fpend her Time well. There is not per
I£,.d. haps a more furprifing Infatuation in the Conduit of
V Chriftians, than this.
III. There is a proper Time for every Thing that
" I is lawful to be done : Now, can you tell when it is pro-
- _ per for a Chriftian to meditate upon thefe Books ?
There is a Time when our Hearts are more than
ordinarily raifed towards God ; when we feel the Joys
and Comforts of Religion, and enjoy a Peace that pal-
fes all Underllanding. Now I fnppofe Reafon will not
allot this Time for the Diverfion of fuch Books.
I d There is a Time, when either thro' the Negleit of
Duty, Remorfe. of Mind, worldly Vexations, bodily
:: Tempers, or the Abfence of God's Spirit, we fink in¬
to Dejeition and Dulnefs, grow burthemome to our-
j'"' fdves, and can hardly think of any Thing with Satis-
aiiis®. faftion. Now if Reafon is to judge, this is of all Times
cotthe molt improper for fuch Entertainment. For if there
is any Time more proper than another to think upon-
God, 'tis when we are in Heavinefs.
When we are Jick it is time to fly ta'the Fhyfician j
t'r. we are-<iwary, it is a proper Time to-rsfi ; now-
-:j0 there is the fame Fitnefs hi having Recourfe to God
and Religion, when we are under any Dejeftion of
j-v. Mind. For it is not more the fole Property of Lighy
to difpel Darkncfs, than it is the fole Property of Re-
F 5 iigicn
3cat,
( 6$
Kgion to relieve all Uneafmefs. Is any one affliffedf.
fays the Apoftle, let him ■pray. Now this we are to.
look upon, not only as a wife Advice of fomething that,
is very good to be done;. but as a ftriCt Command that
leaves no Choice of doing any Thing in the Head of it.
It is as abfolute a Command as1 if he had faid, Hath
any one finned, let him repent. For an Application to
God is as much the one Thing to be done in the Hour
of Trouble, as Repentance is the one Thing to be.
done in Time of Sin.
IV. You feem to make Times of Dylnefs the Oc-
cafi'on of reading thofe Books, by faying that you only
read them to divert your Spirits. But that which you
take to be a Reafon for reading, them, is a ftrong Ob¬
jection againft it. For it is never fo improper to read
thofe Books, as when you. want to have your Spirits
arais'd, or your Mind made eafy to itfelf. For it is the:
higheft Abufe you can put upon yourfelf, to look for
jEafe and Quiet in any Thing, but in right Apprehen-
iions of God's Providence. And it is a Sin againfl-
the whole Nature of Religion, not to make it the whole
Meafure and Reafon of all ycur Peace and Enjoyment
every Occurrence of Life.
If you muft amufe yourfelf with a Volume of Plays,
becauie you are laid up with a broken Leg, or have
a Friend, you are as far from Wifdom as a Child that
5s to be made quiet with a Rattle, and as far from
Religion as thofe who worlhip Idols; nay, to feek.
to fuch Things for Relief and Refrefhment, is like ap¬
plying to the Devil in Diflrefs. A Man that drinks
Drams every Time he is dull or uneafy, is a wife, pru¬
dent, zndi fiber Man, if compar'd to the. Chriftian that
in Seafons of DejeClion has Recourfe to wanton Wit,
and prcphane Rant: He deftroys the Purity of his Mind
much more effectually, than the other deftroys the
Health of his Body.
Do you think that in great Difrejfes, it is proper to
feek_ Comfort in God ; but that in little Troubles, any
Thing that can divert is as well? Nay, furely if Goa
is our fufficient Comfort in great Diflreffes, he mull be
our beft Relief in thofe that are fmaller. Unlefs it
can be faid, that the Truths of Religion are able to
maks
C 6"7 >
r>: make us bear Martyrdom with Content, but not grea-i"
enough to make us eafy in little Trials.
• ■ ... V. Befides, to feek for Relief in fooiifh Books, is
not only applying to a falfe Remedy, but is alfo de-
ftroying the chief Power of Religion. For as Religion
has no Power over us but as it is our Happinefs; for
far as we negleft, or refufe to make ufe of its Com-
^raeai:;. forts> fo far we deftroy its Power over us. For it can
'• one Tfe- 110 otherwife be the ordinary Care of our Lives, than
by being aun ordinary Happinefs and Confolation in.
all the Changes of Life. A Chriftian therefore is to.
mkfi make his Chriftianity his Comfort, not only in Times.
BatthnBJ of great Trial and Sufferings, but in all the leJftrVexa■
:iem,Lufc; tiotu of Life, that by this Means every little. OccafiorL
[foim^psi of Grief or Difquiet may be an Occafion of his being,
to bet more affe&ed with Religion, and more fenfible of its
toitfelf. Fail true Comforts. '
:yni,tt. B; VI. On the contrary, if Men will make themfelves
ntmrighthappy as Children are made happy, not by confidering
ditiiiS:: the Nature of Things,but by a.Change of Amufments,
ctonara they muft alfo expedt to have the Vexations and Tor-
Peaceafe ments of Children,. and be, like them, laughing and
crying at they know not what,, all the Days of-their .
jVoSail Life: For Children are only eafily vexed becaufe they
are eafily pleafed ; and it is certain that they who can
jjmilQil bepleas'd with Things of no Value muft in the fame.
ilc , Degree be liable to be diipleas'd at them. And as this
t is the true State of Childhood; fo whofoever is in this.
iSjflC State,, whatever his Age maybe, his Of ice, or his Dig-
jjjfuig; "ity in Life, is yet as truly in the State and Folly of
; Childhood, as he that is but four Years old. Take an
jiklrf ^ance or two: A Child whofe Heart is half broken
"f at fome Misfortune, may perhaps be made eafy with a
P'^ure of a Huntfman and a Pack of Hounds', but
"ff ^ you would comfort the Father that grieves for his
sldeft Son, the Hounds muft. all be a live ; they muft
. . [j cry> and run, and follow a Hare.; and Chis will make
the Father as eafy as the Pidlure did the Child
r'^ji A Mother comforts her little Girl with a Pack of.
• Cards that are finely painted: By and by Ihe wants to
be comforted herfelf; fome great Calamity has happen'd.
b her. Now you muft not think to comfort her with
■ painted
C <5* )
painted Cards, or building Houfes with them ; her Grief
is too great,, and fhe has been too long a Mother to be
pleas1 d with fuch Things. It is only ferious Ombre that
can dry her Eyes, and remove Sorrow from her Heart.
VII. I might eafily multiply Inftances of this kind;
but thefe are fufficient to fhew us, that Perfons of Age
and Authority often differ only from Children,, as one
Child may differ from another. This is the true Rea-
fon why human Life is fo full of Complaint; why it is
fuch a Mixture of ridiculous Pleafures,. and vain Dif-
quiets, namely, becaufe we live in an entire Ignorance
of the Nature of Things, never confidering why we
are pieafed with this, or difpleas'd with that, nor any
more appeal to Religion t» direff our Judgments, than
Children appeal to Reafon to form their Tempers,
For if we will only play, or lull ourfelyes into Re-
pofe, as Children are rock'd to fleep, it is not to be
wonder'd at, if like them we cry as foon as we are
awake : And the reafon why People, feemingly religi¬
ous, are fubjeft to the fame Dulnefs and Peevijbnefs, to
the fame Vexations and Variety of Griefs that other
People are, is this, becaufe they make no more Ufe of
their Religion on thoie Occafions, than other People:
They don't fo much as intend to keep themfelves eafy,
thankful and cheatfuly by making Rehgion the Me,-Jure
and Standard of all their Thoughts and Judgments, in
all the common C hances of Life, any more than thoie
do, who have no Thoughts about Religion.
. VIII. Suppofe a Perfon had lame Feet, and bad
Eyes, and that he had an Oil, that was an infallible-
Cure for them both, when applied to both; if you
law him only ufing it for his Eyes, you would not won¬
der that it had not cur'd his Ft , ; you would know
that his anointing his Eyes could only cure \uihy, s;
and that there was no Ground to expeft that his tut
fhould be any better, till he anointed his Feet: And all
this for this plain Reafon, becaufe Things, however
G,ood in themfelves, can have no farther Efiect han as
they are applied. Now it is juft thus in Religion. If
a Man places it only in publick Wctjhip, he attends
publick Worlhip; it operates fo far. But why rr.uft
you wonder, that he is not of a <wife7 virtuous, a!,d
religious
sir Jfilpiti,
ffi 1
C 69 )
WiWdj, religious Temper, in all the Actions of his ordinary
Life ? Is not this wondering why the Oil has not cured
ttwQjif.J a Man's Feet when he has never applied it to them,,
but only to his Eyes ?
IX. When the regular Churchman as plainly makes
Religion the Meafure of his ordinary Life, as he makes
it the Rule of his going to Church; when he as direft-
ststktr- ty U^"es ** t0 Hus Purpofe, as a Man anoints his Eyes*
tcliimi Vi who would be cured by anointing them j then you will
d J,,, fee him as different in his ordinary Life from other
People, as different in his Pleafures and Griefs, in his
Cares and Concerns, as he is different from them in
Forms and Regularity of Worfhip. But till Men do
this; till they apply the Principles of Religion to all
the Afrions of ordinary Life •, till they make it the
Medfiure of all their daily Tempers, their Joys and
Fears; till they think there is as much Piety in being
wife and holy in their common Tempers, as in being
- devout at Church; as much Sin in being vainly pleafed
f-f' * and foolifhly vexed, as in negle&ing the Divine Service r
fr till they thus diredlly apply Religion to common Life*
u: i as a Man applies a Remedy to the Part he would have
..{lit: cured; it is no more to be expefted that it ihould.
make them religious in common Life, than that an
keep-- Oil appled to our Eyes fhould cure our Feet.
It is our ordinary Life, which we think is thus left
:idp? to ourfelves, that makes Religion fo infignificant in the
nut®! World". It lies by like a Remedy that is unapplied; it
EeSf® has no Effeft becaufe it is ufed only as a formal Thing
« Hi' that has its Devotions and Duties at fit Times and Oc-
■yf cafions: Whereas it fhould be ufed and confidered as
.jtoP the Rule and Reafon of all our Judgments and ACtions
as the Meafure of all our Cares and Pleafures; as the
jjj# Life of our Life, the Spirit of our Spirit, and the very
j # Form and Effence. of all our Tempers. It is to be in
; a, like a nenxs Reafon and Judgment of our Minds;
iWM that is to reafon and judge of every Thing v/e do„
and to prefide over and govern all the Motions of our
.-f£ Hearts, Is any one merry, faith the Apoftle, let him
i!:E Rfalms : Is any afflicted, let him pray. This is
Religion in the Apoftle's Account; it is not only an At¬
tendance at the publick Worfhip, but it is the ruling
ml I Habit
C p )
Habit of our Minds; fomething that devotes us wholly;
to God, that allows of no Mirth in our common Life,
but a Mirth proper for the Brethren of Chrift, a Mirth
that can exprefs itfelf in Praife and Thankfgiving, that
allows of no other Cure for Grief or Vexation than
what is to be had from Recourfe to God. And in¬
deed what can be more abfurd, than for a Chriliian
ever to ad in any other Confideration than as a
Chriftian ? He is fenfelefs to a Degree of Madnefs when
he indulges a Thought, or a Motion of his Heart;,
when he either takes a Pleafure, or relieves a Grief;
where he cannot fay I do this as a Chriftian, as fina¬
ble to that State in which Chriftianity has placed me.
X. We reckon a Man Efficiently mad that fancies
himfelf a King, and governing his Subje&s, at the
fame Time that he is tied to a Bed of Straw : Now
a Chriftian repeats every Day, 1 believe the Forgi<vencfs
of Sin,., the RefurreStion. of the Body, and. the Life Ever-*
lafting ; he thanks God for the Redemption of Jfus
Chrif , for the Means of Grace, and for the Hope of do¬
ry. Yet at the fame time, in this State of Greatnef,
he fancies himfelf in "a thoufand Wants and Mifcries:
He cries and labours, and toils for a Happineis, that
has no Exiftence but in his own Imagination; he fancies
himfelf a Being that is to be made happy with Sauces
and Ragous, with painted Cloaths and Jhining Diamonds,.
He is griev'd and fretted like a Child at the Lofs of a
Feather ; and muft be diverted, as they are, with Shews
and Plays, and imaginary Scenes of Rant and Nonfenfe.
Now is not fuch a one mad ? Does he not know as
little of his State, as the Man in Straw who fancies
himfelf a King ? But for a Chriftian, in Times of Dul-
nefsor Vexation, to feek Relief in fooliffi Amufemcnts,
in the loofe, wild Difcourfes of Plays, when he Ihould
acquaint himfelf with God, and be at Peace, is a De¬
gree of Madnefs that exceeds all others; it is adtingas
contrary to the Nature? of Things, as if a Man that
had loft the Ufe of his Limbs, ihould chufe to comfort
his Lamenefs with painted Shoes, when he might have
the Ufe of his Feet reftor'd. For the Confolations of
Religion relieve Uneafinefs and Trouble, as a Erie
Man is relieved when his Limbs are reftor'd ; they con¬
quer.
I 71 1
quer Grief, not by cheating and deluding the Weak-'
W twiiiJ -iicfs of our Minds, but as the Refurredion conquers
it" Ciii ; Death, by reftoring us to a rfew and glorious Life.
XI. From thefe Refledions I hope it fufficiently ap
pears, that the reading vain and impertinent Books is
3 q05 i no Matter of Indifferency ; but that k is juftly to be
reckoned amongft our greatefl Corruptions; that it is as
unlawful as Malice and e-vil Speaking ; and is no more
to be allow'd in any Part of our Life.
Reading, when it is an Exercife of the Mind upon
wife and pious Subjeds, is, next to Prayer, the bell Im¬
provement of our Hearts j it enlightens our Minds,
colleds our Thoughts, calms and allays our Paflions,
and begets in us wife and pious Refolutions; it is a
Labour that does fo much Good to our Minds, that it
ought never to be employ'd ami fs; it enters fo far in ¬
to our Souls that it cannot have a little EfFed upon us.
Reading and Meditation is that to our Souls, which
Food and Nouriihment is to our Bodies; fo that we
cannot do ourfelves either a little Good, or little Harm,
by the Books that we read.
XII. But perhaps you think, it is a dull Task to read
only religious and moral Books: But when God is your
'1 ' Happinefs; when you are not afraid of the Joys of
Eternity, you will think it a dull Task to read any
tojf'; other Books. Don't fancy therefore that your Heart
is right, tho' you had rather read Books upon other
.it! - - Subjeds; for it is there that you are to charge your
eU'"'' Dulncfs: Religion has no hold of you ; the Things of
iiit Eternity are not the Concerns of your Mind ; it js dull
Dees it and tirefome to you to be wife and pious; and that
ji ft*' snakes it a dull Task to read only Books that treat up-
,ia on fuch Subjeds. When it is the Care of your Soul to
j|. be humble, holy, pious, and heavenly minded ; when
: you know any Thing of the'Guilt and Mifery of Sin,,
fW or feel a real Defire of Salvation, you will find reli¬
gious Books to be the greatefl; Feafl: and Joy of your
Mind.
It you think it dull and tedious to be in wife, pru¬
dent and fober Company, it is becaufe you are neither
'prudint not fober yourfelf. So if it is dull and tirefome
•to you to be .often upon Subjeds of Piety and Religion ;
WralJifsjflj
v.
( 7* )
It is as fure a Proof that you are neither pious nor reft,
pious. For unlefs you can luppoie that a wife and fo-
ber Man may be moft delighted with tne Notjt and
Retellings of Drunkennels; you cannot liippofe that
it is poffible for you to be truly religious; and yet moft
pleas d with corrupt and unedifying Books.
XIII. You perhaps will fay that you have fo much
fpare Time for reading, that you think you need not
employ it all in reading good Books. It may be fo;
you may have alfo more Time than you need devote
to Offices of Charity4 but will you thence conclude,
that you may then do Things contrary to Charity, and
indulge yourfelf in Spight and Mi/chief?
If you have every Day more Time than you can
employ in Reading, Meditation and Prayer ; if this
Time hangs upon your Hands, and cannot be turn'd t
any Advantage ; let me defire you to go to Jleep or
pick Stratus; for it is much better to do this, than to
have Recourfe to corrupt and impertinent Books. Time
loft in Sleep, or in picking Stratus^ is better loft than in
fuch Exercifes of the Mind. Confider farther, that
Idle and fpare Time calls for the greateft Care and
Watchfulnefs; fo that to have Recourfe then to evil
and impertinent Books, is like inviting the Devil be-
caufe you are alone. If you could read ill Books when
you were in hafte, or in a Hurry of other Matters, it
would do you much lefs Harm than to read them be-
caufe your Time hangs upon your Hands. That very
"Seafon which you take to be an Excufe for fuch read¬
ing, is the ftrongeft Argument againft it, becaufe evil
Thoughts and vain Subjedls have twice the Effeft, and
make double Impreffions when they are admitted at
Times of Leifure and Idlenefs.
XIV. Confider again to what a miferable State you
are reduced, when you are forced to have Recourfe to
. foolifh Books to get rid of your Time. Your Fortune
perhaps has remov'd you from the Neceffity of labour¬
ing for your Bread; you have been politely educated
in Softnefs ; you have no Trade or Employment to
take up your Time ; and fo are left to be devoured by
corrupt Paffions and Pleafures. Whilft poor People
are at hard Labour j whilft your Servants are drud¬
ging
i
; Idh.iefs and Indulgence, are relieving yourfelf with foolijh
" and impertinent Books; feeding and delighting a dif-
ordered Mind with Romantic Nonfenfe, and Poetic Fol-
IM lies. If this be the EfFedt of Riches and Fortune, on-
ly to expofe People to the Power of difordered Paffi-
ons, and give them Time to corrupt their Hearts with
tiw imt Madnefs and Folly, well might our Lord fay, Wve un-
ttk. to you that are rich P
. it si] * When you fee a poor Creature drudging in the
pi wilt meaneft Offices of Life, and glad of the dirtied! Work
theace «ah to get his Bread, you are apt to look upon him
i] totte] as a tniferahle Wretch ", it raifes a Mixture of Pity
and Contempt in you ; But remember, that every Time
r.itbtnl you fee fuch a Perfon, you fee a more reafonnble Crea-
idhtjtt;: ture than yourfelf, and one that is much more nobly
ffijOtKi employed than you are. He is adding confotmably to the
i to State of human Life,and bearing a hard Part with Pati-
to do 'hi.ence; he is doing a Work which, mean as it is, will
rr.5oc be look'd upon -as done unto the Lord; whilft you are
libeffitlAi idling in Softnefs and Pleafures, are unable to beat
ker k: your Time, unlefs it be fiolen away from you by Fol-
rre&iia' ly and Impertinence. Fancy that you faw a patient
codt to! Chrijliun, old, broken and crooked, with carrying Bur-
-gt'tefe thens all his Life; fancy that you faw another Chrifti-
j.jlks1 an lolling in State and Softnefs, and making every Day
(jjiti)!' a Day ot Vunity and foolijh Readings which of them*
mioiif do you think is mOil likely to die in the Hands of good
Basci T'iwtnge/s, and be carried into Abraham's Bofom ?
XV. But, after all, v/hat a vain Imagination it is t&
.j think that yeu have any fuch Thing as fpare Time ?
Kjjti Is there any Time for which you are not accountable
. sc f0 God ? Is there any Time which Go o has To left to
your own Difpofal that you may (acrifice it to the In-
0$ dulgence cf vain Tempers, and the -Jorruptionof your5
"eart You can no more fhew this than you can {hew,
fujiJlhat all your Time is your own. To talk therefore' of
"fid fPure lime, is to talk of fornething that never did nOr
- itdf "'<ever will'-belong to any Chriftian. You may have a
W-' $are °l '™e horn this or that Labour, or Neceffity, you
'.nay abate or .change any particular Etercife^ you may
.... have oil this or that Way, you may take this or that
ktreltynent; you have all thefe fpare Times from par*
1 G tiadar
Ocular A&ipns, but you have no /pare Time that re-
leafes you from the Laws of Chriftianity, or that leaves
.you at liberty not to a«5t by the Principles of Religion
land Piety.
You have Jpare Tune to refrefh yourfelf: But this is
to be governed by the fame Wifdom, as the Time that
is fpent in Cares and Labours. For your Recreations
and Pleafures are only lawful fo far as they are direct¬
ed by the fame Wifdom with your Cares and La.
bours. If therefore the Providence of God has placed
you above the Neceflity of labouring for your Liveli¬
hood, you muft not think that you have fo much /part
Time to fpend, as you pleafe, but that you arc certain¬
ly called to fome other Labour. Great part of the
World is doom'd to Toil and Slavery .; they have it
not in their Power to chufe any other Way of Life,
.and their Labour is therefore an acceptable Service
God., becaule it is fuch as their State requires. Hap
®y you therefore, if you knew your Happinefs, wh
have it in your Power to be always doing the heft
Things i who, free from Labour and Hardfhips, are -
Liberty to chufe the beji Ways of Life, to ftudy all the
Arts of Self improvement, to pra&ife all the Ways of
doing Good, and to fpend your Time in all the nobltft
Inftartces of Piety, Humility, Charity and Devotion l|3
Blefs God then, not jgecaufe you have fpare Time, for!?®
that y-cu have none, but that you have Time to em- Rl
ploy in the beft Ways that you can find; that whiift 13
•others are oppref.'d with Burthens, and worn out withp
Slavery, you have Time to think upon the greateilP
.and bed of Things; to enlighten your Mind, to cor-
jredt the Diforderof your Heart, to ftudy the Laws of -
God, to contemplate the Wonders of his Providence,
£0 convince yourfelf of the Vanity of the World, arid
£0 delight your Sc ' with the great and glorious rl Jiings s4
•which God has prepar'd for thofe that love him. '1 ins -
is the-Happinefs of being frei from Labour and V. ant :
not to have fpare Time to fquander away \n Vanity and
impertinence, but to have fpare Tune to fpend in tw.
Study of Wifdom, in the Exercife of Devotion, in the t
Tr=ctice of Piety, in all the Ways and-Means of doing s
Good S
astkjjKis
at Cues sh
r >
ijlesoi^l'" (75 J
Good, and exalting our Souls to a State of Ghrifiiw?
fflitlS; P erf e a ion.
XVI. It is a Doftrine of Scripture, and highly
agreeable to Reafon, I bat unto vohomfoever much is?
given, of hint Jhall much be required. Confider- there¬
fore that a Life of Leifure and Freedom from Want?
and Hardlhips is as much as can well be given you in
j... this World, as it is giving you an Opportunity of living,
wholly to God, and making all the Parts of your Life
ufeful to the belt Purpofes. As fure therefore as it is a
State, that has fo many Advantages that furnifhes you
with fo many Means of being eminent in Piety, fo
fure it is, that it is a State from which God experts
Fruits that are worthy of it. Had it been your Lot. to-
labour in a Mine,, or ferve under fome cruel Mailer,
'"'c ft you mull have ferved as unto God ; and in fo doing
you had finilh'd the Work which God had given you.
- ' But as you are free from all this, you mull look upon
yourielf as God's Servant, as called to chufe that Way
- of labouring and fpending your Time, which may molt.
promote that which God defires to be promoted. Ge o
IbefflJiS ]iasgjven y0u Liberty to chufe, but it is only that you
Cant U may have the Blelfednels of chufmg the be ft Ways of
-If fpending your Time. Tho' therefore you are at liber-
ty front fervile and mean Labour, yet you are under '
; a Necefsity of labouring in all good Works,, and ma-
- I king all your Tifne, and Fortune, and Abilities fervice-
skf:: able to the belt Ends of Life. You have no more
vrcd Time that is your own, than he has that is to live by
(conftant Labour; the only Difference betwixt you and
jeprffe; kim is this, that he is to be diligent in a poor, flaviftv-
fie Labour, that opprelTes the Body, and dejects the Mind 3-
djj? kut you in a Service that is perfeii Freedom, that ren •
;!tl ders your Body a fit Temple for the Holy Ghoft, an|d
am fills) our Soul with fuch Light, and Peace, and Joy, as
gpft'l 's not t0 be found in any other Way of Life.
-10 1 XVII. Do you think that a poor Slave would difj
,.[)tr I pleafe God by refulingto aft in that painful Drudgery
ikat is fallen to his Share ? And do you think that
God will not be mbre difpleas'd with you, if you re-
fiife to aft your, full Part in the bell of Labours, or
tcg'.eft that happy Bufmefs of doing Good, which
G 3 your
( 7« )
year State of Life has called you to T Is it expe&ed
diat poor People fhould make a right Ufe of their Con¬
dition,, and turn all their. Labour into a Service unto
God ? And do you think you are not obliged to make,
a proper Improvement of your Condition, and turn
all your Reft, and Eafe, and Freedom from Labour, into
Service unto G,od?, Tell me therefore no more that
you indulge yourfelf in idle Amufements, in vain, cor¬
rupt, and unedifying Books, becaufe you have /pare
.Time? For it is abfolutely falfe to fay that you have
any fuch Thing; it is faying, that becaufe God has
given you fpare Time from fervile Labour, Time for
all the Inftances of a holy and heavenly Life ; there¬
fore. you prefume to throw it away in Idlenefs and Im¬
pertinence.
my, yyyy yy my my yy yy yy yy yy yy yy yy yyyy yyyy y- - yy
yd '/ft, Ay A '/m; yd AAA dd $A. $A '/AtA /d /A
CHAP. VI.
CHriftians are called to a corftant State of Prayer
and Devotion.
I. It is one principal Article of our Religion to
believe that our blefled Saviour is now at the Right
Hand of God, there making perpetual Intercejfton for
us, till the Redemption of Mankind is finiih'd, Prayer
therefore is undoubtedly a proper M cans of drawing
near to God ; fince he who has conquered Sin and.
Death, who is conflituted Lord of all, is yet as the
great Advocate for Sinners, obliged to make perpetual
Xnterceflion for them.
Whenever therefore we are in the Spirit of Prayer;
when our Hearts are lifted up to God, breathing out
holy Petitions to the Throne of Grace, we have this
Encouragement to be confttant and fervent in it, that we
ai;e then joining with an Intercefsion at the Right Hand
of God, and doing that for ourfelves on Earth which
our bleffed Saviour is perpetually doing for us in Hea¬
ven. This Reafon of Prayer is perhaps not much con-
fidered; yet it certainly contains a moll powerful Mo
tive to it. For who that confiders his Redemption as
how carrying on by an hiterceffion in Heaven, can
Shlnk hirafelf fo rightly employ'd as when the Conftancy
of
of his own Prayers bears fome Refemblance to that
never ceafing lntercefsion wh eh is made above? This
fhews" us alfo, that we are moil of all to defire thofe
Prayers which are offered up at the Altar, where the
Body and Blood of Chrift are joined with thepi,
For as our Prayers are only acceptable to God thro'
the Merits of Jefus Chrift; fo we may be fure it is the
moll prevailing Prayer, when we thus pray in the
Name of Cbrift, and plead his Merits in the bigheft
Manner we can.
II. Devotion may be confidered either as an Ex-
ercife of publick or private Prayers at fet Times and
Occafions ; or as a Temper of the Mind, a State and
Difpofition of the Heart, which is rightly affedled
with luch Exercifes. Now external Acts of Devotion,
are like other external Actions, very liable to Falfenels,
and are only fo far good as they proceed from a right
Difpofition of Heart. Zealous Profefsions of Friend-
pip are but Hypocrify, unlefs there be an equal Zeal
in the Heart; and fo folemn Prayers are but repeated
Hypocrfties, unlefs die Heart be conformable to'them.
Sii ce therefore it is the Heart only that is devout, I
{hall conliaer Devotion chiefly in this refpedl, as it is
a State and Temper of Heart ; for it is in this Senfe
only that Chrifians are called to a conft ant State of
Devotion. They are not to be alv/ays upon their
Knees in Ads of Prayer; but they are to be always
in the State and Temper of Devotion.
III. Friendfliip does not require us to be always
waiting upon our Friends in external Services; thefe
Offices have their Times of Intermifsion; it is only the
Service of the Heart that is never to intermit. This is
not to begin and end, as external Services do ; but to
perfevere like the Motion of our Heart, or the Beating
of our Pulfe. It is juft fo in Devotion ; Prayers have
their Hours, their Beginning and Ending, but that Turn
of Mind, that Difpofition of the Heart towards God,
which is the Life and Spirit of Pfayer, is to be as con-
fiant and lafting as our own Life and Spirit.
The repeating of a Creed at certain Times is an AfcV
of Faith; but that Faith, which o-acrcometh x.he World,,
flays neither fot Times nor Seafons, but is a living
G 2 Principle.-
^1
C 7» )
Principle of the Soul, that is always believing, trufting
and depending upon God. In the fame Manner ver¬
bal Prayers are Adls of Devotion; but that Prayer
which openeth the Gates of Heaven, flops not at
Forms and Manuals of Devotion ; but is a Language
of the Soul, which worfhips, adores, and delights in
God, at all Times and Seafons.
1 he Reafon of Prayer, like all other Duties of Piety,
is founded in the Nature of God, and the Nature of
Man. It is founded in the Nature of G od, as he is
the fole Fountain and Caufe ©f all Happinefs; it is
founded in the Nature of Man, as he is weak and help-
!efs, and full of Wants. So that Prayer is an earntjl
application, or Afcent of the Heart to God, as to the
fole Caife of all Happinefs. He therefore that mod tru¬
ly feels the Mifery, Corruption and Weaknefs of his jjj
©wn Nature ; who is mofl fully convinced that a Re- j e
lief from all thefe Diforders, and a true Happinefs, is
to be found in God alone; he who is mod fully con-1;
vinced of thefe two Truths, is mofl fully podefs'd of ;j
the Spirit of Prayer. >«9
IV. Hence we may perceive why People of Learn-| n,
big, and great Application to Books, who feem to have
retired from the Corruptions of the World, are yet
often not devout. The Reafon is, b'ecaufe Devotion
imparts a full Senfe of the Vanity and Littlenefs of
every Thing but God ; whereas it is often- the fame Va¬
nity that wears out Scholars in their Studies, ,and other
People at Couit, in the Camp, or at Sea. They do
not want to be Merchants,, or Colonels, or Secretaries'
cf State; but they want to be Critics, Grammarian
and Hidorians. They, it may be, difregard Riches
and Equipage ; defpife the Sports and Diverlions of the
prefnt Agt ; but then it is to contemplate the Riches
and Equipage, the Sports and Diverfions of the ancient
Rom 'i s.
The Vanity of fome Ladies and Gbitlemen would
be touch'd, if you fhould tell them that they did not
underdand Dr'/s: Some great Scholars would be more
dejedted, if you fhould fuppofe them ignorant of a
Fold in the Roman Garments.
« The I
mi
( 79 )
The Bulk of Mankind are fo dull and taftelefs, and
illiterate, as to fet their Hearts upon current Coin. But
great Learning has railed fome Men above this vulgar
Groflnefs of Take. Their Heart does not beat but
at the Sight of a Medaly or an ancient Coin. And they
are only afraid of. dying before they have out done
the World for their Colleftions of Shells, Skins, Stones,
Flies, and Irfetls.
V. When Men retire into their Studies to change
their Nature ; to cor reft and refen m their Fafiions ; to
find out the Folly, the Falfenefs, the Corruption and
Weaknefs of their Hearts ; to penetrate into the Vani-
[8 is Hi jy and Emptinefsof all worldly Attainments ; when they
read and meditate, to fill their Souls with heavenly Af-
fections, and to raife their Hearts unto God ; when
this is Learning, (and what elie deferves the Name? )
then Learning will lead Men unto God ; then learn-
trjeHij ed Men will be devout, and great Scholars will be
i til great Saints.
1 VI. Many People are thus far fmcere in their De¬
votions, that they would be glad to pray devoutly;
iffii?'l they ftrive to be fervent, but never-attain to it, becaufe
Afc they never took the only poifible Way. They never
•rloih thought of altering their Lives, or of living durerent
,.ri- from the reft of the Worlds but hope to be devout
u nil merely by reading over Books of Devotion. Which is as
odd a Fancy, as if a Man ihould expedt to be happy,
... by reading Difcourfes upon Happinefs. When thefe
J People dare take Chriftianity, as it is offered to them,
jy in the Gofpel; when they deny themfelves, and re-
jjg GniS nouuee the World, they then will have begun Devotion.
c:t3® Trebonius asks how often he (hall pray ? Fie thinks
the Nicety of the Queftion fhews the Piety of his Heart,
-malt3! ®ut Frtbonius is deceived, for the Queftion proves, that
be is a Stranger to Devotion. Trebonius has a Friend ;
he is conftantly vifiting him ; he is never well out of
his Company. If he is abfent, Letters are fent at all.
Opportunities. Now what is the Reafon that he never
" .0 asks how often he fhall. vifit, how often he fhall de-
hght in, how often he fnall write to nis Friend ? It is
becaufe his Friend has Iris Heart, and his Heart is his
faithful and fufEcient Inftru&cr. When. Trebonius has
K ' erven
asking
a
i
C So )
given his Heart to God, he will have done
how often he Ihall pray.
Julius goes to Prayers; he confefies himfelf to be
a miferable Sinner; he accufes himfelf to God with
all the Aggravations that can be, as having no Health
in him. Yet Julius cannot bear to be informed of
any Imperfection, or fufpeCted to- be wanting in any
Degree of Virtue. Now, can there be a dronger Proof,
that Julius is wanting in the Sincerity of his Devoti¬
ons ? Is not this a plain Signr that his Confefsions to
"God are only Words of Courfe, an humble Civility of
Speech to his Maker, in which his Heart has no Share?
If a Man was to confefs that his Eyes were bad, his
Hands weak, his Feet feeble, and his Body helplefs;
he would not be angry with thole that fuppofed he was
not in perfeCt Strength. Yet Julius confefies himfelf
to be in great Weaknefs, Corruption, Diforder, and '
Infirmity; and yet is angry at any one that dods but
fuppofe him defective in any Virtue. Is it not the fame
Thing as if he had faid " you mud not imagine that
" I am in earned in my Devotions" ?
VII. To live in true Devotion, we muft daily con- , •
fider the End and Hope of our Calling, that all world¬
ly Pafsions and. Defires may be fwallowed up in one
great Defire of future Glory? This Devotion to Goo
is fignified in Scripture, by living by Faith and not ly
Sight, when the invifible Things of the other Life,
are the Reafon, the Motive and the Meafure of ill
our Defires and Tempers. And thofe who thus tend to
God in all their Motions and Defires, are devout t\cry
where. This makes their common Actions AGs 01 Re¬
ligion, and turns every Place, into a Chupeh -And ;; is
to this Devotion we are all called, not only by .pai
ticular Precepts, but by the whole Nature and i'e
nour of our Religion.
VIII. Now, as all.States and Tempers of the Mini u
muft be fupported by Actions and Exercifes fuitable to
them; fo Devotion, which is an earned Application of
the Soul to God, as its only Happinefs, mud be Pup- 'ft
ported and kept alive by Actions and Exercifcs
able to it. The Devotion of the Heart d
us to obferve fet Times of Prayer and, oh the other sj
Hand, fet Times of Prayer increafe and enliven
taii ' I * C 81 )
the Devotion of the Heart. It is thus in all other Caies t
Habits of the Mind difpofe us to Adions fuitable t»-
Q0; them; and thefe Adions likevvife flrengthen and im-
-jjpJprove the Habits from whence they proceed.
K r It is the habitual Tafte for Mujick that carries
People to Concerts; and again, it is Concerts that increafe
jjj,.' the habitual Love of Mujick : So it is the right Difpofi-
? 0ftion of the Heart towards God that leads People to
outwards Ads of Prayer; and, on the other Side, out¬
ward Ads of Prayer preferve and flrengthen the right
Difpofition of the Heart towards God. "As therefore
we are to judge of the Significancy of our Prayers, by
hiiw l°°k'nS t0 che State and Temper of our Heart; fo are
we alio to judge of the State of our Heart by the Fre¬
quency, Conflancy, and Importunity of our Prayers. For
as we are fure that our Prayers are infignificant, unlefs.
L^V they proceed from a right Heart; fo unlefs our Prayers
be frequent, con ft ant,, and full of Importunity, we may
be fure our Heart is not right towards God.
IX. Our bleifed Saviour has indeed condemned Gne
fort of long Prayer But, nxhen ye pray, ufenot vain Re-
pi titions, as the Heathens do ; for they think they Jhall he
: - heard for their much fpeaking (a). But it is not Length,
or a Continuance of Prayer that is here forbid; but vain.
Repetitions. Nor are the Heathens here condemned for
being importunate, and per fevering in Prayer ; but for a
wrong Judgment, in that they thought they were heard,,
it "• becaufe they fpoke much; that is, often repeated the fame
Words. So that all that Chrilbians are here forbid, is
this, to think that the Efficacy of Prayer confifts in vain
pH and long Repetitions ; yet fome imagine, that a Con-
n&y tinuance of Prayer is here reproved, and thence conclude,
. -«i that Shortnefs is a necelfary Qualification of Prayer.
■it -- But how willing muft People be to be deceived, be¬
fore they can realon in this Manner ? For the Words
pgsp® f-ave plainly no relation to- Length or Shortnefs of
Prayer. They no more condemn the one than the other.
ffi'C TheJ only condemn an Opinion of the Heathens, that
the Excellency of Prayer confided in a Multitude of Re-
, petitions. Now, to think that ihort Prayer is better, be--
s h caufe it is Jhort, is the fame Error as to hold with the
Heathens*
Og, \ H Matth. vi, 7»
B !
(SO
Heathens, that it is better becaufe it is often repeat
It is the fame Miftake in the Nature of Devotion.
X. But fuppofing the Meaning of thefe Words was
©bfcure (which it is not) yet furely it is plain enough,
that our Saviour has elfewhere exprefly recommended a
Continuance and Importunity in Prayer. And how per-
LU-
ho
verfely do they read the Gofpel, who can find Iris Au
thority againfb fuch kind of Devotion ! For can he who
wasfo often retiring to Dtfarps, to Mountains, to folita,
Places to pray, who fpent whole Nights in Prayer; can
he be fuppofed to have left a. Reproof of thofe who 4
fhould follow his Example ? But befides his Example,, y
his Doftrine is on no Point more plain and certain. He M
fpake a Parable unto them to this End, that Men ought |j];
always to pray, and not to faint. Saying,.there was'in a |ij|
City a fudge, which feared not God nor regarded Man.
And there was a Widow in that City,, andJhe c,ame unto i
him, faying, Avenge me of my Adverfary. And he would
not for a while : But afterwards he faid within hintfelfjma
thd> I fear not God, nor regard Man, yet becaufe this Lj
Widow troubleth meI will avenge her. AndJhall not h;.,j
Gcd avenge his own Eledt,. which cry Day and Night in¬
to him ? St Luke tells us, that this Parabla was to teach ly;
Men to pray always, and not to faint; and it is plain to L
any one that reads it,, that it has no other Intent but ;o
recommend Continuance and Importunity in Prayer. The f
Widow is relieved; not becaufe (he aiked Relief, but
becaufe fhe continued afking it: And Go a is faid to
avenge his Eledlnot becaufe they cry to him new and
then, but becaufe they cry Day and Night. Our blcfied
Saviour teacheth the fame Do&rine in another Parable,
of a Perfon going to his Frierld to borrow three Loaves
at Midnight, which he concludes thus: I fay unto you,
tho'' he would not tife and give him,, becauje he is his
Friend; yet becaufe of his Importunity, he will rife a A
give him as many as he needeth. Here again the fole
Scope of the PafTage is to (hew the Efficacy of Con¬
tinuance and Importunity in Prayer.
XI. Clxto fays he defires no more Time for riling,
drelsing, and faying his Prayers, than a Quarter of an
Hour. He tfells this to his Friends; not to ffiew his
Want of Religion, but that he may be thought to under¬
hand
pi
Bevoti
yjrfb«|
btKrnpiifl
MjM I
(r ^5 J
{land Devotion. You tell him that our Saviour's Parables
teach Continuance and Importunity in Prayer; that the
Apoftles exhort to pray without ceajing, to pray always
and that devout Perfons are recorded in Scripture as
praying 'Night and Day. Still Glito is for ihort Prayers.
He at lad finds a Text of Scripture, and appeals to the
Example of the Angels ; they only faid, Glory be to
God on high, and on Earth Peace,^ Good-will towards
Men. Ciito takes this to be an Argument for ihort
Prayer, becaufe the Angels had done fo foon. But Clito
tfmjAi muiE be told, that this is no Prayer at all; it is only a
joyful Proclamation to Men. And furely the Manner of
( Angels fpeaking to Men, can be no Rule or Meafure of
Mens fpeaking to God. The Angels had no more
to tell the World than this Meifage of Jcy ; but does it
: i, ik.. therefore follow, that Sinners are to be as fhort in their
Addreffes to God ? The Scripture tells us fometimes of
Voices from Heaven ; but it would be ftrange to make
■AVi the Things that were then fpoken, the Meafure of oUr
■ 1 Prayers when we call upon Goo. If Clito mull have an
Example fn m Heaven, he might have found one much
• v m re proper than this, where it is faid, That they rejl net
\ i Day and Night, faying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord Gob
li'f Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come (a).
XII. Our bleiled Saviour faith, But thou, when thou
raycjl, enter into thy Glrfet, and when thou hajl Jhut thy
Door, pray unto thy Ft ther, See. (by Now here is indeed
no mention of the Time that Prayer is to be continued 5
but yet this Preparation f 1 Prayer, of entering into our
Clofet, and Jhutting the Dor r, feems to teach us that it
is a Work of fame Time ; that we are not hafcily to open
our D.;or, but to allow ourfelves Time to continue and
be imp rtunate in our Prayers.
Hyv 1 ng .and how often all Pe pie ought to pray, is
rot to be dated by any one particular Meafure. But this
v.e may ;.ike a a rer-eral Rule, that every Chriftian is
to pray fo cf'en a. J fo long, as to fnew that he prays
vo- ut cr. f.n 7 j that he prays always 5 and that he Cries
t" God Ay.' / una D y: For thefe are eflential Qualifi-
catir ns of Prayer, a 4 exprefly required in Scripture.
XL I. There are two Seajbns of our Hearts which we
ihould
plGM'l
f crvtol
!#
v
U
.ini
a
') Ley. iy, (bj, Mitth. w. .5
t.
Should carefully obferve; I mean the Time when we are if
mojl affefled with our Devotions, and the Time when p
we are rnofl indifpofed to pray. For both* thefe might
equally ferve to inftruft us in the Knowledge of our-jj#
felves, and how to govern the Motions of our Hearts. ^
Refted with yourfelf, how it was with youfit
what Circumftanoes you was in; what had happ, ni
to you ; what you had been doing; when you found ;;;i
yourfelf fo affefted with your Devotions. Now, if you
find out what State you was then in, when you was dif-
pofed to pray fo fervently, then you have found out a
Way of railing your Devotion at another Time. If
you was then to put down in writing fome fhort Re¬
membrance of the chief Things that rais'd your Heart,
fo that you might have a View of them as often as
your Mind wanted fuch Afiiftance, you would find a
Benefit that would reward your Labour. On the con- .7
trary, whenever you have found yourfelf very much
hidifpos d for Prayer, refled with yourfelf, what State 7
you was then in; what had happened unto you ; what .
Thoughts you had in your Head; what Pajfons were 7
then awakened what you had been doing, or were "
intending to do: For when you have found out the
State you was then in, you have found out the Hin¬
drances of your Devotion ; and know what Thing: to
avoid, if you defire not to quench the Spirit.
XIy. If you was here again to make Ihort Re- :
membrances in writing, of the chief Things which
render'd you indilpofed for Prayer, and frequently to ' •
tread and refied upon them, you would have a faith- - 1
fill Information of what you are m-J to avoid.
you find that impertinent Vifts, foolijh Conmerf tion, or'®®
a Day idly fpent in civil ■Compliances with other PefrM
pie, have rendered your Mind dull and indi/fofcJ,^
and lefs affected with Devotion, then you will have1)'®
found that impertinent Vifits, and ceremonious Com-*if
plianceski fpending ur Time, are not little fadijferari^k
Things; but are to be daily watch'd and guarded a- jjlai
gainft by all thefe who defire to be daily alive unto"oa
■God. - 'J liti
XV. 'I hey who are for Ihort Prayers, becaife Gen :;,il
does Mot need much Intreaty, ought alfo to fhew, tbt^J
Ma*
.... M T "5 )
- Man does not need much Prayer; does not need that
Strength, and Light, and Help, which arifes from much
Prying. For unlefs this be the State of our Hearts*
we fhall want much Prayer «to move and anvake our-
felves; how little foever we fuppofe neceflary to ex-
cite the Goodnefs of God. If therefore Men would
confider Prayer, not only as it is an Invocation of God*
but alfo as it is an Exercife of holy Thoughts ', as it is are
, Endeavour to feel and be affedted with the great Truths
of Religion, they would foon fee, that tho' God is fo
good as not to need much calling upon; yet that Man is fo
weak as to need much AfMance, and to be under a
conftant Necefsity of that Help, and Light, and Im¬
provement which arifes from praying much. Where
therefore we would know how much we ought to pray,,
we mull confider how much our Hearts want to be al-
iered, and remember that the great Work of Prayer
is, to work upon ourfelves; it is not to move and af-
™ - fed God, but it is to move and affeftour own Hearts, and
" (ill them withfuch Tempers as God delights to reward.
XVI. Now Prayer never fo corrects and amends the
Heart as when we extend it to all the Particulars of our
State, enumerating all our Wants, Infirmities, and Dif-
tk® orders; not becaufe God needs to be informed of them*
but becaufe by this Means we inform ourfelves, and
make our Hearts in the beft Manner acquainted with,
our true Condition. When our Prayers thus defcend
to all the Circumftances of our Condition, they be¬
come a faithful Glafs to us; and fo often as we pray*
fo often we fee ourfelves in a true Light.
:m' Don't be content therefore with confefsing yourfelf
to be a Sinner, or with praying againll Sin in general;
for this will but a little affedl your Mind ; it will only?
(hew you to yourfelf in fuch a State as all Mankind
fef1 are in: But if you find yourfelf out; if you confels
ccttfflW* and lay open the Guilt of your own particular Sins; if
• ;j» you pray conftuntly againft fuch particular Sins as youi
WjjJt; fii.d yourfelf moft fubjeft to, the frequent Sight of your
own Sins, and your conflant deploring of their Guilt,
will give your Prayers Entrance into your Hearts, and
-fvt- Put you upon Meafures how to amend,
AiHBv • H IT
ISM
ilm
C s* )
If you confefs yourfelf only to be a Sinner, -you con-
fefs yourfelf to be a Man ; but when you defcnbe and :
f onfefs your particular Guilt, then you find Caufe H
for your own particular Sorrow \ then you give your
Prayers ail the Power they can have to affeft and j ■
/wound your Heart. In like manner, when you pray
for God's Grace, don't be fatisfied with a general p
Petition, but make your Prayers fuitable to your De- P
fedls; and continue to ask for fuch Gifts and Graces E
of the Holy Spirit as you find yourfelf moft defective !10
in: For this will give Life to your Petitions, and make P
your Heart go along with them. »f m
XVII. Lastly, .this Particularity in our Prayers is dl
the greateft Trial of the Truth of our Hearts. A Man
perhaps thinks he prays for Humility, becaufe he has h
the Word Humility in his Prayers; but if lie was to /"'*
branch out Humility into all its particular Parts, he
would perhaps find himfelf not difpofed to pray for
them. If he was to reprefent to himfelf the feveral
Particulars which make a Man poor in Spirit, he would
fnd his Heart not defirous of them. So that the only f
Way la (know our Hearts, and whether we really pray f!
for any Virtue, is to have all its Parts in our Prayers,
;and to ask for it in all its Inftances. If the proud Man
was to pray daily for Humility in all its kinds, and to &
.beg of God to remove him from all Occafions of fuch V
Pride, as is common to his particular State, and to
,difapoint.him in all his Attempts that were contrary to IM
.Humility, he would find that fuch Prayers would either it
conquer his Pride, or his Pride would put an End to hie a
'Prayess. Eor it would be impofsible to live long in l<9is
any Inftances of .Pride, if his daily-and frequent Pray- li
rds were Petitions againft thofe particular Inftances. k
XVIII. Let me now only add this one Word more, ft,
.that he who has learned to pray, has learned the great ^
, eft Secret of a holy and happy Life. Which Way foever hitj
.clfe we Jet loofe our Hearts, they will return unto us Tj
again empty and weary. Time will convince the i-can- ,
fji and hlindeft Minds, that Happinefs is no more to bo '
douod in the Things of this World, than it is to be .;(
sdug out of the Earth. Put when the Motions of our j
J&pfis .are potions qf Piety, tending to God in con-
( Si )
flant A&s of Devotion, then have we found Reft, unt-fe
nit our Souls; then is it that we have conquered the Mr-
m fery of our Nature; and neither love nor define in vain.
fit Then is it that we have found out a Good that is equaf
i)05: to all our Wants; that is, a conftant Source cf Comfori-
i J|g and Refrefhment, that will fill us with Peace and joyful*
3 wj Expectations here, and eternal Happinefs hereafter.
im For he" that lives in the Spirit of Devotion, whofo
id;:: Heart is always full of God, lives at the Top of humanr
M Happinefs, and is the fartheft from all the Vanities
and Vexations which difturb and weary the Minds oT
nhji Men devoted to the World,
mil • '*
^ .it;.'ft".pfv..~'fv ."jFv
S I CHAP. VII.
miiksflf
f" v A 11 Cbriftians are required to imitate the Life avd>
Example of Jesus Christ.
I. Our Religion teaches us, that as we havet erne the>
Imnge of the Earthly, fo ive fall hear the Image of tk*
- Huwnly y that after our Death we fhall rife to-a Stat*.
: t of Life and Happinefs, like to-that Life and Happi-
•-~f nefs which our bleifed Saviour enjoys at the RigfU"
Hand of God. Since therefore \Ve are to be Fellow-
iT- heirs with Chrift, and Partakers of the fame Happi¬
nefs, it is not be wonder'd at, that we are required to
ie like Chrift in this Life, to imitate his Example, that
■ ■ we may enter into that State cf Happmeis which he>
enj°ys in the Kingdom of Heaven.
H. Not that we are called to the lame outward
gtik - Manner of Life, or the fame fort of Aftions with his 5.
$tpf hat to the lame Spirit and Temper, which was th«
Spirit and Temper of our blefled Saviour's Life and
Adlidnsi We are to be like hirn in Heart, to adl bye
pjitf- the fame Rule, to look towards the fame End, and to
irfifliKte govern our Lives by the fame Spirit. This is r.11 Imi¬
tation of Jefus Chrift which is as neceffary to Salvati¬
on as it is to believe in his Name. This is the fole
Jtnd of all the Doftrines of Chrift, to make us like
kifflfclf, to fill us with his Spirit and Temper, and.
H 2. make-
c S8 )
jnatce us live according to the Rale and Manner of his
Life. As no Dodlrines are true, but fuch as areUj
according to the Dodtrines of Chrift, fo no Life isLfj
Tight, but fuch as is according to the Life of Chrift. L Jin
For he lived as infallibly as he taught ; and it is as^p
wrong to vary from his Example, as from his Do&rines. Erj>£
To live as he lived, is as certainly the one fole Way 'gfi
«of living as we ought, as to believe as he taught is M
the one fole Way of believing as we ought. There is
po other Way befides this; nothing can pofsibly bringjfljj
vs to God in Heaven, unlefs we are now one witlH|
Chrift, and walk as he alfo walked. For we may as j(l#
well expeft to go to a Heaven where Chrift is not, a'iy
to go to that where he is, without his Spirit and Tem- ,HI
per. If Chriftians would but buffer themfelves to re-
fleet upon this, their own Minds would foon convince ,
them of it. For who can find the leaft Shadow of a
Reafon, why he Ihould not imitate the Life of Chrift?
Or why Chriftians Ihould think of any other Rule oi
life? It would be as eafy to fhew that Chrift add
arnifs, as that we need not adt after his Example.
III. If it fnould be faid., that Jefus was the Saniovt
of the World, that he was born to redeem Mankind,
and was the Son of Gor». It may be anfwered, tha1
this does not make the Life of Chnft to be lefsthe Ruh
and Model of all Chriftians. For, as I obferved before
it is the Spirit ar.d Temper of Chrift that all Chriftian:
are to imitate ; they are to do their proper Work in tha
Spirit and Temper, in which Chrift did the Work or
which he was fent. So that altho' Chriftians are no ^
Redeemers of the World, as he was; tho' they hav<
not that great Work to finilh which he had ; yet the; :.
have their Work to do in the Manner that he had ha •
they have their Part to adl, which tho* it be a differcn ;
Part, mull not be performed with a different Spirit 4
but with fuch Obedience to God, fuch Regard to hi
Glory, and all fuch holy Difp fitions, as our bleftei f
Saviour manifefted in every Part of his Life. A ' <r
mart is in a different State from his Mailer; yet w A lis
may juftly exhort him to follow the Example of a pidth
ous Mailer; not becaufe he can perform thefmt J»f\
fancei of Piety, but becaufe he may (hew the f< J
Spink it.
« m* at
tfclitffl
r So )
k Mr< , J
|j M, Spirit in the Actions proper to his State. This ma/
(hew us, that the different State of our Lord and Ma"
Her leaves him ftill the exalt Rule of his Servants'
C . " who, tho' they cannot come up to the Greatnefs of his
Aflions, may yet adl according to his Spirit; and then
are they true Followers of Chrift, when they are foL
lowing his Spirit and Temper, adding according to his
End; and Defigns, and doing that in their feveral States
which Chrift did in his.
IV, The bleffed Jefus came into the World to favs
the World. Now we mull enter into thiis fame Defign,
and make Salvation the Bufinefs of our Lives. And
tho' we cannot contribute towards it like him, yet we
1 t*?'5 mull contribute all that we can, and make the Salvath-
:\ on of ourfelves and others the one only Care of our
Lives.
The poor Widow s Mites were but a fmall Matter in
themfelves, yet as they were the utmoft fhe could give,,
our blefled Saviour fet them above the larger Contribu-
'ions of the Rich. This may encourage People in every
State of Life to be contented with their Capacity of
toitMj doing good, provided that they do but a£l up to it.
; Let no one think that he is too low, too mean and
private to follow his Lord and Mafter in the Salvation.
jT of Souls. Let him but add his Mite, and if it be all
that he hath,he fhallbe thought to have done much; not
iff ^at all are to be Preachers and Teachers of Religion,.,
;tiP no more than all are to be Apojiles, or all Prophetsor all
j'QiiV Workers of Miracles. Chriftians are like Members of
5ne and the fame Body; they are as different from one.
jet-! another, as Hands and Eyes, and have as different Of-
fees to perform; yet may their different Parts ferve-
fm and promote the fame common End. As the Eye can-
l$t' n'Jt fay to the Hand, I have no need of thee ; norjegava,
Sid If Ptad to the Feet, I have no need of you; (a) fo nei-
u S!.-' ther can the learned Teacher fay he hath no need of
die private, unlearned Perfon. Eor the Work of Sal-
,jjij5,| yatioa is carried on by all Hands, as well by him thatr
10': Js taught, as by him that teacheth. An unlearned Peii-
fefi* ^n' ty being defirous of Irftru&iOn, and careful to-
wmply with it, may promote Salvation as Uu'y, in &
1 IjMI trl 1 nejra/=f
1J) i Eor, xii, •?.,
C po ) II
Degree, as lie that is able and willing to inffruft. Th;t
teachable Difpofttion may as effe&ually influence others
as another Man's Ability and Care of Teaching. There¬
fore, tho', as the Apoftle faith, all have not the Gift
Healing, tho1 all do not fpeak with Tongues, yet allM
have fame Part that they may a£t in the Salvation of M
Mankind, and may follow their Lord and Mafterin the ^
great Work, for-which he came down from Heaven: ^
We muft not then think,, that it is the Bufinefs of®/'
Clergymen only to carry on the Work of Salvation
but rouft remember,, that we are engaged in the fame '•
Bufinefs, tho' not in the fame Manner. • j
V. Had the poor Widow thought herfelf exculed
from taking Care of the Treafury; had the thought ■■■■'<
that it belonged only to the Rich to contribute to it, (he "M
had loft that great Commendation which our Saviour^
beftowed upon her. Now, it may be that fome Widows siil!
may be fo very poor as not to have fo much as
Mite to give to the Treafury, who muft therefore con- «ii
tent themfelves with the Charity of their Hearts; but nil
this can never happen in the Bufinefs of Salvation. M
Here no one can be fo poor, and deftitute, as not toijJ
have a Mite to contribute towards it. For no Circum -jj,
fiances of Life can hinder us from being Example: of M
Piety, and making our Lives a Lejfon of Inftruftion to jjJ
all that are about us. And he that lives an exemplary
Life, tho' his State be ever fo poor and mean, is large- jj'.,
ly contributing to the Salvation of others, and proving^
himfelf the bejl Follower of his Lord and Mailer. if.,,
VI. This tlierefore is the firft great Inftance in which ^
•we are to follow the Example and Spirit of our blefi'ed
Saviour. He came to fave the World ; we mult there-
fore all confider ourfelves as called to carry on this
great Work. For how can we think ourfelves to be
his Followers, if we do not follow him in that for
which alone he came into the World ? How can we
be like the Saviour of the World, unlefs the Salvation
of the World be our conftant Care ? We cannot favc*
the World as he faved it, but yet we can contribute
our Mite towards it. How know'Jl thou, 0 Wife,
whether thou fhalt fame thine Husband? Or how
knowcd thou, 0 Man. whether thou (halt fa re thy
C 91 )
yye p (a) This {hews plainly, that all Perfons may have
"Wsev: a great Share in the Salvation of thofe that are near them,
. [QtHl| and that they are to confider themlelves as exprefly
-r';_>nbr called to this great Work. For the Apoftle ufes it as
the fame Argument both to Husband and Wife;
' which fuppofes that it is a Buiinels in which one is as
^ MM much concerned as the other. The Woman we know
bfti is not allowed to fpeak in the Churchr yet is (he en-
truftedwithfome Share in the Salvation of the World;
r (he is fuppofed equally capable of faving the Husband,
as the Husband of faving the Wife. Now what is here
faid of Husband and Wife, we muft extend to every
State and Relation of this Life ; Brothers and Siftersr
jjlUkll Friends T and Neighbours, muft all confider tliemfelves
: '.cwhul as called to the Salvation of one another. How knoweffc
kiiiBi thou, O Sijier, whether thou fhalt fave thy Brother?
"Mtkifi' How knoweft thou, O Man, whether thou fhalt fave
toteeltd thy Neighbour ? is a Way of Thinking that ought ne-
totihi ver to be out of our Minds. For this would make
• iorftj Brothers and Sifters bear with one another, if they con-
ta&jE fider. that they are to do that for one another which
. ^JjChrift hath done for the whole World. This Refledti-
. ff. on would turn our Anger toward bad Relations into
Care and Tendernefs for their Souls ; we ftiould not be
y'j4 ghd to get away from them, but give them more of
.....jjj our Company, and be more exadt in our Behaviour
toward them; always fuppofing it pofsible, that our
- Qonverfation may fome Time or other affedl them,
and that God may make Ufe of us as a Means of
rfffl ** Station.
, ,;£; V n. Eutroptus is very good and pious himfelf;
hut then his Fault is, that he feeks only the Conver-
.^ji fation of pious and good People. He is careful and
cxaft in his Behaviour towards his virtuous Friends;
always ftudying to oblige them ; but gets away from,
and avoids thofe that axe of another Temper. Now
Eutropius fnould recclledl, that this is adding like a
, Ebyfian that would take care of the Healthy, anddif-
tegard thofe that are Jick. He ihould remember, that
; ' his irreligious Friends and Relations are the very Per-
tj fons that are fallen to his Care; and that he is as di-
rcctly
•A (') »■ Cor, vii, 16,
C 9*:>
reftly called to take care of their Salvation, as the V-
Husband to take care of the unbelieving Wife. Eu-m
tropins therefore, if he would imitate his Lord and
Mailer, muft apply to the loft Sheep of the Hoift of I Sr.
Ifrael, and endeavour by all the innocent Arts of pit a- ilk
fing his Friends, to gain them to Repentance. \V c (jlk
muil not excufe ourfelves from this Care, by faying ill
that our Relations are obftinate, hardened, and carelels fei#
of all our Behaviour towards them; but muil fup- jjlt
port ourfelves with the Apoftle's Argument, How know- flu
eft thou, O Man, whether thou may'ft not at lait fave iikj
thy Relation
ms>
VIII. The Apoftle faith, deftroy not him with thmib
Meat, for whom Chrift died, (a) We may thereforeU|
juilly reafon thus, that as it lies much in our Power to L|U
hinder the Salvation, fo it muil, in an. equal Degree, to ([
promote the Salvation of thofe for whom Chriit died, i J
Deftroy not therefore by thy Negligence, by thy Im- r;,|[e
patience, by thy want of Care, that Relation for whomL||
Chrift died; nor think that thou haft, done enough,[|4
till there is no more that thou canft do. T his is the
State in which all Chriftians are appointed by Goo ....
in their feveral Stations; to carry on that great Work,
for which Chrift came into the World. Clergymen ar.-
not th^ only Men that have a Cure of Souls, but every
Chriftian has fome People about him, whofe Salva¬
tion he is obliged to be careful of; with whom he is
to live in all Godlinefs and Purity, that they may have
the Benefit of his Example and Affiftance in their Duty
to God. So that all Chriftians, tho' ever fo low, and
and private, muft confider themfelves as hired ;
fk
by Chrift to work in his Vineyard; for as no C;rcnm
ftances of Life can hinder us from faving ourfelve , fo
neither can they hinder us from promoting the Salva¬
tion of others. And tho' we have, according to our
different Stations, different Parts to aft; yet if we are
careful of that Part which is fallen to our Share, we
are equally Objefls of God's Favour.
Thou, it may be, art not a Prophet; God has not
honoured thee with this Poft in his Service ; yet nrcd-
«ft thou not fall ihort of this Happincfs : For our Saviour }>■
hath
(») Rom. jag r;.
C 93 )
hath faid, That he that recei-veth a Prophet, in the Nam
of a Prophet, Jhall receive a Prophet''s Reward. Now
this ihews us, that tho' all Men have not the fame Part
to aft in the common Salvation, yet none will be Lofers
by that State they are in, if they be but true to
the particular Duties of it. If they do all the Good
they can in their particular State, they will be looked
upon with fuch Acceptance as the poer Widow that
J pre all that (he had.
IX. Hence we may learn the Greatnefs of their Fol-
; '" lv, who, negledting the exadl Performance of fuch
l).i:ies as fall within their Power, are pleafing them-
felves with the great Things they would do, were they
but in another State.
:i: Clemens has his Head full of Imaginary Piety. He
i: is often propoftng to himfelf what he would do if he
had a great Eftate. He would out do all charitable Men
; that are gone before him : He would retire from the
World; he would have no Equipage ; he would allow
himfelf only NeceiTaries, that Widows and Orphans,
the Sick and DiftreiTed, might find Relief out of his
Eftate. He tells you, that all other Ways of fpending
- an Eftate is Folly and Madnefs.
j Now Clemens has at prefent a moderate Eftate, which
■ liiij! he fpends upon himfelf, in the fame Vanities and In-
'ril ,h,l dulgences as other People do. He might live upon
V one Third of his Fortune, and make the reft the Sup-
sSr' port of the Poor; but he does nothing of all this that
if; d® is in his Power, but pleafes himfelf with what he would
v..do if his Power was greater. Come to thy Senfes,
Clemens; do not talk what thou wouldeft do, if thou
jo'trf waft an Angel, but confider what thou canft do, as
thou art a Man. Make the beft Ufe of thy prefent
.£ i State; do now as thou thinkeft thou wouldeft do with.
• a great Eftate; be /paring, deny thyfelf, abftain from
all Vanities, that the Poor may be better maintained*
and then thou art as charitable as thou canft be in any
Eftate. Remember the poor Widow's Mite.
fliT \ I'ervidus is exaft in the Duties of Religion; but
then the Greatnefs of his Zeal to be doing Things that
;;fc he cannot, makes him overlook thofe little Ways of
doing good which are every Day in his Power. Fer-
ihm vidus
C 94 )
-Adits is only forry that he is not in holy Orders, :r,C
that his Life is not fpcnt in a Bufinefs the moil defnabl
JilS
of all Things in the World. He is often thirkinj
what Reformation he would make in the World, if h
was a Priejl or a Bt/faop; he would have devoted mm
felf wholly-to God and Religion, and have had n<
other Care bat how to lave Souls. But d noi belier
yourfelf, Fernjidus; for if you defired in ear mil. to i
ii
a Clergyman, that you might devote your. mme!} '
to the Salvation of others, why then, are ymi :...t Jo '
ing all that you can in the State that you arc now n. }f'1
Would you take extraordinary Care of a V 7 , orjM®
Diocefewhy then are you not as extraoriinsry in the 1
Care of a Family ? It' you think the Care of other 1
Peoples Salvation to be the happieil BulinrL in thC;1;
World, why do you negledt the Care of thofe tl at anH
fallen into your Hands ? Why da you fhew no Com l06i
cern for the Souls of your Servants ? If they do their ")
Byfmefs for which you hired them, you never ti >'e
your Head about their Chriftianky. Nay, F. .■ 'it
you are fo far from labouring to make thofe that are -I
about you truly devout and holy, that you alrm 11 •»
it out of their Power to be fo. You hire a Coach-. a lirl
to carry you to Church, and to fit in the Street with i]
your Hor/is, whilit you are attending upon divide Sen ;fe
vice. You never ask him how he iupplies the Lot. of ^
divine Service, or what Means he takes to yvferve ;«
himfelf- in a State of Piety. You imagine that if you
was a Clergyman, you would be ready to lay down $|
your Life for your Flock ; yet you cannot lay afidc a ;:t
m
tfm
little State to promote the Salvation of your Servants,
It is not defiredcf you, Ferntidus,. to die a Martyr for J
your Brethren; you are only required to go to Clinch
on Foot, to fpare fome State and Attendance, t> bear
feme times with a little Rain and Dirt, rather than
keep thofe Souls which are as dear to God and Chnll
as yours is, from their full Share in the common Wcr-
fhip of Chrillians. Do but deny yourfelf fuch imall
Matters as thefe; let us but fee that you can take the
leall Trouble to make all your Servants and Depend¬
ants true Servants ^ Goo, and then you lhall be al¬
lowed
/.ii®
MB
L
U
f ( P '5 ;
to imagine what Good you would have done
you been devoted to the Altar.
leis«Sft4XL Eucen i a is a young Woman, full of pious
Vitfpofitions; fhe is intenting, if ever Hie has a Fami-
'tfcEV, to be the beji My* f of it that ever was; her
Vifct bufe ihall be a School of Religion, and her Children
4 id Servants ihall be brought up in the ftridleft Pradtice
■ p;ety ; fhe will fpend ner Time, and live in a very
f'®6jotr, -ferent Manner from the reft of the World. It may
Eug.nia; you think you intend all this: But
- )u are not yet at the Head of a Family, and per-
cf iPt ips never may be. But Eugenia, you have now one
- tfinttt laid, and you do not know what Religion fhe is of;
-■ the t® ,e dreiies you for the Church ; you ask her for what
t"i C ju want, and tlren leave her to have as little Chri-
huedtk ianity as fhe pleafes. You turn her away; you hire
a pi nother; fhe comes, and goes, no more inftrudted, or edi-
- iftti ;d in Religion, by living with you than if fhe had
ved with any Body elfef And this comes to pafs, be-
lufe your Pv'Iind is taken up with greater Things, and
Dureierve yourfelf to make a whole Family religi-
.jm is, if er you ccme to be Head of it. You need not
kiwi ay. Eugenia, to be fo extraordinary a Perfon ; the Op-
ortunity is now in your Hands j you may now fpend
- our Time, and live in as different a Manner from the
. ft of the World, as ever you can in any other State,
our Maid is your Family at prefent; fhe is under
our Care; be now that Religious Governefs that yo*
tKSjjjii: lten^ t0 be; teach her the Catechifm, hear her read,
jaEt[ ;:llort Her to pray, take her with you to Church,
•jdfp 5riui(le " to love the divine Service as you love it 3
o&il ^er w't'1 }'our own Fiety, and fpare no Pains to
■Tv RKc ^er as devout as yourfelf. When you do thus
fe rUC^' ^j0Cc^ 'n your prefent State, then you are that
"'._g ottraordihary Perfon that you intend to be; and till
thus live up to your prefent State, there is but
. |j?'e Fb'pes that the altering your State will alter your
^ Fife.
yh There is no Falfenefs of our Hearts that leads
•'# f' 'I t0 8reater Frrors, than imagining, that we fhall
wme I ime or other be better than We are, or need
tow: For Perfect ion has no Dependence upon exter-
■nai
C ) 1,
ttal Circumftances; it wants no Times or Opportunities $
but is then in its higheft State, when we are making
the bejt vje of that Condition in which we are placed
The poor Widow did not ftay till (he was Rich befor, 1
fhe contributed to the Treafury; Ihe readily brought he i
Mite; and, little as it was, it got her the Reward am jf
Commendation of great Charity. We mull therefor i
all of us imitate the Wifdom of the poor Widow, am |
•exercife every Virtue in the fame Manner that fhe eil'S
ercifed her Charity. We mufl ftay for 110 Time 0
Opportunities, v/ait for no Change of Life, or foncil f6
Abilities, but remember that every Time is a Tim
for Piety and Perfefiion. Every Thing but Piety ha j
its Hindrances ,• but Piety, the more it is hindered thByjj
higher it is raifed. Let us therefore not vainly fay,;
that if we had lived in our Saviour's Days,we would hav
followed him; or that if we could work Miracles, w
would devote ourfelves to his Glory. For, to follui
Chrift in our prefent State, and to do all that we ar
able for his Glory, is as acceptable to him, as if w
were working Miracles in his Name. 1 ,
XIII. When our bleffed Saviour was upon the Crof
he thus prayed for his Enemies, Father, forgive then
for they know not what they do. (a) Now all Chriftian
readily acknowledge that this Temper of Chrift is to b
the exadl Rule of our Temper on the like Occafon
that we are not to fall fhort of it, but muft be pcriccf]
like Chrift in this Charity towards our Murderer
jBut then perhaps they do not enough confider, thatfc f
the very fame Reafon, every other Temper of Ciirif®
is as much the exadl Rulcoi all Chriftians, as his 'J cm M
per towards his Murderers. For are we to be thi !
difpofed towards our Perfecutors and Murderers, becaui :e
Chrift was fo difpofed towards his ? And is it not a
oood an Argument, that we are to be fo and fo difpo
ted towards the World, and all worldly Enjoyments «i
becaufe Chrift was fo difpofed towards them ? Hj;^
was as riglit in one Cafe as the other, and no mor
erred in his Temper towards worldly Things, than ii 1
his Temper towards his Enemies. Should we notfai ,
to be good Chriftians, if we fell ihort of tliat forgi vinj j
Spirit
{») Luke xxiii. 34.,
Awtal
"as Hiii:
ta Trail
jiljki
samba
Kfmatta
Gky. M
me.
i, lrikr,M
r lit"']
fj
trfjw
f o* >
7 / J
Spirit, which the blefled Jefus Ihew'd upon the Crofs ^
And fhall we not equally fail to be good Chriftians, if
we fall Ihort of that humble and meek Spirit which he
illiewed in all his Life ?
XIV. The fhort of the Matter is this, the Spirit and
Temper of Chrift is the ftritt Meafure of the Spirit and
Temper of all Chriftians. It is not in this or that par¬
ticular Temper of Chrift, that we are to follow his
Example; but we are to afpire after his whole Spirit, to
be in all Things as he was, and think it as dangerous to
depart from his Spirit and Temper in one Inftance as in
another. For befides that there is the fame Authority
in all that our Saviour did, which obliges us to conform
to his whole Example, Can any one tell why we ihould
have more Value for this World than our Saviour had ?
What is there in our State and Circuenftances, that can
make it proper for us to have more Affeftion for the
Things of this Life, than our Saviour had. Is the World
any more our Happinefs, than it was hisHappinefs ? Are
Riches, and Honours, and Pleafures, any more our pro¬
per Good, than they were his ? Are we any more bora
for this Life, than our Saviour was ? Are we in left
Danger of being corrupted by its Enjoyments than he
was ? Are we more at Leifure to take up our Reft, and
fpend our Time in worldly Satisfactions than he was?
Have we a Work upon our Hands that we can mort
eojily finijh, than he could finifn his ? That requires of
us lcfs Mortification and Self-denial, lefs Devotion and
Watching, than our Saviour's required of him ? Now as
nothing of this can be faid ; as this World is as little
our Happinefs, and more our Danger than it was his ;
as we have a Work to finifh that requires all our
Strength, that is as contrary to the World as our Sa¬
viour's was, it is plain there was no Reafon for his Dif-
xt-gard of the World, but what is the fame Reafon for
us to difregard it in the fame Manner.
XV. Take another Inftance of our blefled Saviour's
Spirit. I came doavn from Heaven (fays he) not to do mint
w-e Will, hut the Will of him that Jeni me (ah
And again, Mv M at and Drink is to do the UHI of,
that fnt me. Now, can any Chriltian fhevv, why
I u£
L
(a) J ho .VI.
fte may think otherwife of himfelf, than our Saviour
here thought ? Or that he need be lefs denoted to the
-Glory of God than he was? What is there in ourNa- s
ture and Condition to make any Difference of this kind ? , '
Or can any thing elfe be the Happinefs of our Nature, { -1
but that which was the Happinefs of his ? Was he a p
Lofer? Did he leave the true Happinefs of himan Lifet .h'
by devoting himfelf to the Will of God ? Or can this F
be our Cafe, tho1 it was not his ? Can we be Lofers by p
iooking to God alone, and denoting ourfelves to his p
Glory? Was it not the Greatnefs and Happinefs of our M
Saviour that he lived to God alone ? And is there any $S
other Greatnefs or Happinefs for us ? We may as well lis
ffeek out for another God, as for another Happinefs, or
another Way to it, than that in which Chrift is gone fflt
before us. He did not miftake the Nature of Man, or k
she Nature of the World} he did not overlook any real J a
Felicity, or pafs by any /olid Good; he only made the litl
heft Ufe of human Life ; and his Spirit and Temper is tit
as nece(fary for our Condition as it was for his. For this at i
World, and all the Things of the World, fignify as h,
little to us as they did to him. We are no more in our . iof
true State, till we are got out ef this World, than he "f
was ; and we have no Way to arrive at true Felicity and
Greatnefs, but by fo denoting ourfelves to God as our pi
jblefled Saviour did. We muft therefore make it the j(|
Eufinefs, and Aim of our Liv.es, to be like Chrift ; and
this not in a loofc or general Way, but with great Nicety L^j
and Exattnefs, always looking to his Spirit, to his Ends
and Deftgns, to his Tempers, to his Ways and Converfa-ja^
fion in the World, as the exadl Model and Rule of ours. .
XVI. Again, Learn of me, (faith our blefled Savi-
pur) for I am meek and lonely in Heart. jrH
It ought to be obferved, that there muft be fomething ;Sj>
ycry extraordinary in thefe Difpofitions, from the Man- ^
tier in which we are taught them. It is pnfy in this U
flace, that our Saviour fays exprefly, Learn of me-, and
when he lays, Learn of me, he does not fay, for I am
fuft and equitable, or kind, or holy, but I am meek and ^
Jowly in Heart j as if he would teach us, that thefe are ,
the Tempers which moil of all aifiingvifh his Spirit, and "
vhifh he mofl of all requires his Foltewm to learn of , .8
h tm. f
• tire
ha® ft;
C 99 )
him. For conlider, does Chrift, when he defcribes hixl- -
felf, chufe to do it by thefe Tempers P When he calls upon
us to learn of him, does he only mention thefe Tempers ?
And is not this a fufficient Proof that thefe are Tempers
which the Followers of Chrift are mo 11 of all obliged to
learn ; and that we are then moft unlike to Chrili, when
we are wanting in them ? Now as our great Lord and-
Mafter has made thefe Characters the diflinguifhing Cha¬
racters of his Spirit, it is plain that they are to be
the dijlinguijhing Characters of our Spirit; for we are
only fo far his, as we are like him. Confider alfo, was
he more loivty than he need have been ? Did he pradtife
any Degrees of Humility that were unneccjfary ? This
can no more be faid, than he can be charged with
Folly. But can there be any Inffances of Lowiinefs
which became him, that are not neceffary for us ? Does
our State and Condition excufe us from any kind of
Humility that was neceffary for him ? Are we higher
in our Nature, more raifed in our Condition,, or more
in the Favour of God than he was ? A.re there Dignities
Honours, and Ornaments of Life, which we may delight
in, tho1 he might not ? We muff own thefe Abfurdities, -
or elfe acknowledge that we are to breathe the fame
limly Spirit, aft with the fame Mcehicfs, and praftife
the fame humble Behaviour that he did. So that the
Matter comes plainly to this Conclufion, either that
Chrili was more humble and lowly than his Nature and
Condition required, or we are under a Ncceffity of the
fame Humility, till we can prove, that we are in %
higher State than he was.
XVII. We fee the Height of our Calling; that we-
are called to follow the Example of our Lord and Ma¬
tter, and to go thro1 this World with his Spirit and
Temper. Now nothing is fo likely a Means to fill us
with his Spirit and Temper, as to be frequent in read¬
ing the Gofpels, which contain the Hillory of his Life
and Converfation in the World. We are apt to think,
that we have fufficiently read a Book, when we have
fo read it, as to know what it contains. This reading
may be fufficient as to many Books; but as to the
(' fpels, we are not to think that we have read them
enough, becaufe we have often read and heard what
I 2 they
lawfil
mGiiiI
falsi
nnrifc--
,§#
Iti$
WA
%
w
<r
C IOO )
$iey contain: But we muft read them as we do our
Prayers, not to know what they contain, but to fill our
Hearts with the Spirit of them. There is as much Dif¬
ference betwixt reading and reading, as there is betwixt
praying and praying : And as no ohe prays well, but
he that is daily and conftant in Prayer ; fo no one can
aead the Scriptures to fufhcient Advantage, but he that
is daily and conftant in the Reading of them. By thus,
tonverfing with our bleffed Lord ; looking into his
Adlions and Manner of Life; hearing his divine Say- ,L
ings; his heavenly Inftrudtions; his Accounts of the
Terrors of the Damned; his Defcriptions of the Glory y
of the Righteous, we fhould find our Hearts formed and
difpofed to hunger and tlirfl after Righteoufntfs. Happy
they who faw the Son of God upon Earth converting
Sinners, and calling fallen Spirits to return to G o d 1
ymiicia, anu. juulti vyirirs iu. iciurn to gj o d r
And next happy are we, who have his Difcourfes,
Dodtrines, Adlions, and Miracles, which then converted
Jiws and Heathens into Saints and Martyrs, ftill pre¬
fer/d to fill us with the fame heavenly Light, and
bring us to the fame State of Glory!
CHAP. VIII.
An Exhortation to Chrifiian Perfection.
J, T Y 7 Hoever hath read the foregoing Chapters with 1;'
VV Attention, is, I hope, fufficiently inftrudted in
the Knowledge of Chrifiian Perfection. He hath feen y®1
that it requireth us to.devote ourfelves wholly unto God ;
to make the Ends and Defigns of Religion, the Ends
and Defigns of all our Adtions; that it calleth us to be pU
bom again of G o d ; to live by the Light of his Holy
Spirit; to, renounce the World\ and all worldly hempen ; -to
to pradlife a conftant univerfal Self-denial; to make daily t(||
War with the Corruption and Diforder of our Nature; W
to fhew the Power of Divine Grace, by a Purity and
Holinefs of Converfation; to avoid all Pleafures and
Cares which grieve the Holy Spirit, and feparate hins
from
C 101 )
from us; to live in a daily, conjlant State of Prayer and
Devotion; and, as the Crown of all, to imitate the
Life and Spirit of the holy Jefus.
II. It now only remains that I exhort the Reader to
labour after this Perfection, Was I to exhort any one
to the Study of Poetry or Eloquence, to labour to be rich
and great, or to fpend his Time in Mathematics, or o
titer Learning, I could only produce fuch Reafbns as are
fit to delude the Vanity of Men, who are ready to be
taken with any Appearance of Excellence. For if the
fame Perfon was to aik me, what it fignifies to be a Poet
or eloquent, what Advantage it would be to him, to be
a great Mathematician, or a great State/man, I muft be
forced to anfwer, that thefe Things would fignify juft
; - as much to him, as they now fignify to thole Poets,
Orators, Mathematicians, and Statefmen, whofe Bodies
'i
Bt'j
-yO
have been a long while loft among common Duft. For
if a Man will be fo thoughtful and inquifitive as to put
the Queftion to every human Enjoyment, and a Ik what
real Good it would bring along with it, he would foort
find, that every Succefs in the Things of this Life, leaves
us juft in the fame State of Want and Emptinefs in which
it found us. If a Man afks why he fhould labour to be
the firft Mathematician, Orator, or State/man, the An¬
fwer is eafily given, becaufe of the Fame and Honour of
fuch a Diftinftion; but' if he was to afk again, why he
fhould thirft after Fame and Honour, or what Good they
would do him, he muft ftay long enough for an Anfwer,
lor when we are at the Iop of all human Attainments,
we are ftill at the Bottom of all human Mifery, and have
made no farther Advancement towards true Happincfs,
gj: '.' tiun thofe whom we fee in the want of all thefe Excel-
$" kucies. Whether a Man die before he has writ Poems,
compiled Hijlories, or raifed an Ejlate, fignifies 110 more,
than whether he died anPIundred or aThoufand Years
M ago.
ill (if® EL On the contrary, when any one is exhorted to
y I labour after Chriftian Perfection, if he then afks what
Good it will do him, the Anfwer is ready, that it would
do him a Good which Eternity only can meafure; that
(its . 'twill deliver him from n State of Vanity and Miiery;
IP's that it will raife him from the poor Enjoyments of an
jfes?I I 3 animal
animal Life; that it will give him a glorious Body,
carry him, in Spite of Death and the Grave, to live with I
God, be glorious among Angels and heavenly Being?,:?
and be full of aa infinite Happinefs to all Eternity. Jf|j
therefore we could but make Men fo reafonable, as to -
make the fhorteft Enquiry into the Nature of Things, i
we fhould have no Occafion. to exhort them to drive.®
after Chriftian Perfection, Tnxio uefions we fee put an hi
End to all the vain Projects andDefigns of human Life; of
they are all fo empty and ufelefs to our Happinefs, "thai sil
they cannotHand the Trial of a fecond Queftion. And,f.
en the other hand, 'tis but afking, whether Chriftian-. i(
Perfection tends to make us have no other Care. Onoit
fingle Thought upon the eternal Happinefs it leads tfeis,
js fufficient to make People Saints. Uj
IV. This thews us how inexcufable allChriftians are,:)!
^vho are devoted to the Things of this Life. It is notji
iecaufe they want fine Farts, or are unable to makiyj]
deep Refections j but it is becaufe they rejeCt the fir^J
Principles of cotnmon Senfe; they won't fo much as aft
what thofe Things are which they are labouring aftei^
Did they but ufe thus much Reafon, we need not deftrL^
them to be wifer, in order to feekonly eternal Happinefs
As a Shadow at-the firft Trial of the Hand appears tc .
have no Sublfance; fo all human Enjoyments fink away..",
into nothing at the firft Approach of a ferious Thought.
We muft not therefore complain of the Weaknefs and
Ignorance of our Nature, or the deceitful Appearances ;
of worldly Enjoyments, becaufe the loweft Degree oi '
Reafon, if liften'd to, is fufficient to difcover the Cheat
If you will, you may blindly do what the reft of the
World are doing; you may follow the Cry, and run
yourfelf out of Breath for you know not what: But if
you- will but lhew fo much Senfe, as to affi why you 1
fhould take fuch a Chace, you will need no deeper a
Reflection, than this to make you leave the Broad Way ; -
and let the Wife and Learned, the Rich and Great, be
mad by themfalves. Thus much common Senfe will
turn your Eyes towards God, will feparate you from
all the Appearances of worldly Felicity, and fill you
•w/ifh fine nnlv Amhihnn zftpr pf-prnal FTflnnfnrfs.
with one only Ambition after eternal Happinefs.
V. Suppofe- that drift Sobriety' was the fole End of %
rejootkihl
ahjoptra
^ ro5 )
Man, the neceffary Condition of Happinefs, WhaJf
would you think of thofe People, who,, knowing and
believing this to be true, fhould yet fpend their Time in
getting Quantities of all Sorts of the Jlrongeft Liquors ?
What would you think if you faw them conftantly en¬
larging their Cellars* filling every Room with Drams,
and contending who fhould. have the largeft Quantities
of the ftrongeft Liquors ? Now this is the Folly and
Madnefs of the Lives of Chriftians; they are as wife
and reafbnable, as they are who are always providing
flrong Liquors, in order to be firiftly fober. For all the
Enjoyments of human Life, which Chriftians fo afpire
after, whether of Riches, Greatnefs, Honours, or Plea¬
sures, are as much the Dangers and Temptations of a
Chriftian, as ftrong and pleafant Liquors are the Temp-
tations of a Man that is to drink only Water. Now if
you was to afk fuch a Man, why he is continually in-
creafing his Stock of Liquors, when he is to ab-
ftain from them all, and only to drink Water, he can
give you as good a Reafon, as thofe Chriftians, who
fpare no Pains to acquire Riches, Greatnefs, and Plea-
fures, at the fame Time that their Salvation depends
upon their renouncing them all, upon their Heavenly -
mindednefs, Humility, and conftant Self-denial.
VI. But it may be you are not devoted to thefa
Thingsyou have a greater Soul than to be taken with
Riches, Equipage, or the Pageantry of State; you are
deeply engaged in Learning and Sciences.
You are, it may be, fquaring the Circle, or fettling
the Diftances of the Stars, or bufy in the Study of
exotic it PPants..
You, it may be, are comparing the ancient Lan¬
guages, have made deep Difcoveries in the Change of
Letters, and perhaps know how to write an Lnfcription
in as obicure Characters as if you had lived above Two
Thoufand Years ago : Or, perhaps you are meditating
upon the Heathen Theology, collecting the Hiftory of
their Gods and GoddeJJes; or, you are fcanning fome an¬
cient Greek or Roman Poet, and making an exaCt Col-
leftion of their fcattered Remains, Scraps of Sentences,
lud broken Words.
Yqu are not expofing your Life in the Field like a mad
Alexander
C 104 )
Alexander wc Co-far ; but you are fighting over all theiV
Battles in your Study; you are collecting the Names of
their Generals, the Number of their Troops, the Man¬
ner of their Arms, and can give the World a more
exaft Account of the Times, Places, and Circumftanccs
of their Battles, than has yet been feen.
VII. You will perhaps alk, Whether this be not a
very commendable Enquiries ? An excellent Ufe of our W.
Time and Parts? Whether People may not be very
reafonably exhorted to thefe kind of Studies ? It may be P3*
anfwered, that all Enquires (however learned they may P®
be reckoned) which do not improve the Mind in fome F!'
ufeful Knowledge, that do not make us wife in religious -
Wifdom, are to be reckoned amongftour greatell Vani-
ties and Follies. All Speculations that will not Hand Wf
this Trial, are to be looked upon as the Wanderings and
Impertinencies of a difordered Under ft anding. ■< f&lj
It is ftrange want of Thought to imagine, that an En- M®
quiry is ever the better; becaufe it is taken up in Greek
and Latin. Why is it not as wife and reafonable for a WW
Scholar to dwell in the Kitchen and converfe with Cooks,
as to go into his Study, to- meditate upon the Roman %re
Art of Cookery, and learn their Variety of Sauces ?
A grave Dohlor in Divinity would perhaps think hia a
Time very ill employed, that he was ailing below his i:!
■I mU
Character, if he was to be an Amanuenfts to foine mo¬
dern Poet. Why then does he think it fuitable with the Id
Weight of his Calling, to have been a Drudge to fome uof
ancient Poet, counting his Syllables for feveral Year!, J®
only to help the World to read what fome irreligious, f||
wanton, or epicurean Poet has wrote ? iwfaiti
It is certainly a much more reafonable Employment
to be making Cloaths, than to fpend one's Time in read-
ing or writing Volumes upon the Grecian or Roman |i[||
Garments. Jplj
VIII. If you can (hew me a Learning that makes
Man truly fenfible of his Duty, that fills the Mind with
true Light, that reforms the Heart, that difpofes it right by
towards God, that makes us more reafonable in all our
ACtions ; that infpires us with Fortitude, Humility, D 10- ^ 1
tion, and Contempt of the World; that give, us right ^
Notions of the Greatnefs of Religion, the S anility ot a.
Morality, ""
\
\
C I05 )
Morality, the littlenefs of every Thing but Goo, the
fW/y of our Paflions, and the Mi fay and Corruption
"era' Nature, I will own myfelf an Advocate for fuch
1st Learning. But to think that Time is well employed,
it is fpent in fuch Speculations as the Vulgar
cannot reach, or becaafe they are fetch'd from Anti¬
quity, or found in Greek or Latin, is a Folly that may
be called as great as any in human Life.
They who think that thefe Enquiries are confident
111 with a Heart entirely denoted to Go d, have not enough-
' human Nature ; they would do well to con-
fult our Saviour's Rebuke of Martha, She did not feem
mm
'iiitytfW
to , a ve wandered far from her proper Bufmefs; fhe was
not bufy in the Hiilory of Houfe-v.nfry, or enquiring
W into the Original of the Difaf; {he was only taker, up
with prefent Affairs, and cumber d about much ferving i
But our blefled Saviour faid unto her, Martha, Martha,
- thou art careful and troubled about many Things. But
tbM mThi"Sis needful
I Now if Scholars and Divines can (hew, that they only
T jjjp apply to fuch Studies as are ferviceable to the one Thing .
vttdful; if they are bufy in a Philofophy and Learn¬
ing that has a neceffary Connection with the Devotion,
of the Heart to God, fuch Learning becomes the Fol¬
lowers of Chrift : But, if they trifle in Greek and Latin,
and only aflift other People to follow them in the fame
Impertinence, fuch Learning may be reckoned amonglt
the Corruptions of the Age. For all the Arguments
againft Pride, Covetoufnefs, and Vanity, are as good Ar¬
guments againfl: fuch Learning ; it being the fame Irreli-
gion to be devoted to any falfe Learning, as to be de¬
voted to any other falfe Good.
A Satisfaction in any vain Ornaments of the Body,
whether of Cloaths or Paint, is no greater a Miftake,
than a Satisfaction in the vain Accomplishments of the.
Mind.
IX. A Man that is eager and laborious in the Search
and Study of that which does him no Good, is the fame
poor, little Soul, as the Mifer who is happy in his Bags
'hat are laid by in Dull. A ridiculous Application
°t our Money, Time, and Undcrfanding, is the fame
fault, whether it be found amongft the Finery of Fops*
'oics I
C I0(J )
Hoards of Mifers, or the Trinkets of Virtucfis. It isP
the fame falfe Turn of Mind, the fame Miftake of the a
Ufe of Things, the fame Ignorance of the State otjftf
Man, and the fame Offence againft Religion. , .J; to
When we fee a Man brooding over Bags of Wealth,^!
and labouring to die rich, we do not only accufe hirna"
of a OOOr T.ittlpnef; r>f IVTinrl • t- nt u p rlinrrp ln'm \witK
of a poor Littlenefs of Mind ; vut we charge him withlM
great Guilt; we do not allow fuch a one to be in aStati-M
of Religion. Let us therefore fuppofe that this covetousLjO
Man was on a fudden changed into anotlier Temper i. if
that he was grown polite and curious; that he was fond ;»>
and eager after the moft ufelefs 1 hings, if they were
but ancient and fcarce : Let us fuppofe that he is now,,:,^
as greedy of original Paintings, as he was before of
Money, that he will give more for a Dogs Head, or a ..
Snuff of a Candle done by a good Hand, than he ever gave
In Charity all his Life ; is he a wifer Man, or a better 'r
Chriflian than he was before ? Has he more overcome
the World, or is he more devoted to G o d, than whe
■ lien
his Soul was lock'd up with his Money ? Alas! his Hearl
if tic
is in the fame falfe Satisfaction ; he is in the fame State
of Ignorance, is as far from the true Good, as much fe ,
parated from God, as he whofe Soul is cleaving to tlx
Dull; he lives in the fame Vanity, and mufl die in th< :
feme Mifery, as he that lives and dies in Foppery or Co- l®1
vetoufnefs. J
X. Here therefore I place my Argument for Chriffm V
PerfeSiion. I exhort thee to labour after it, becaufifW
there is nothing elfe for thee to labour after; there i"-Vv,
nothing elfe that the Reafon of Man can exhort thee to , Mil
The whole World has nothing to offer thee in its Stead .garnll
chufe what other Way thou wilt, thou haft chofen iro-ggand
thing but Vanity and Mifery ; for all the differentWaw||
of the World are only different Ways of deluding thy! oil :|m
this only excells that as one Vanity can excel another, a] pt
If thou wilt make thyfelf more happy than thofe whe-e^,
purfue their own Deftruttion, if thou wilt fnevv thyfelf-ii^
wifer than Fops, more reafonable than fordid Mifers, thou il|{j
muft purfue that Happinefs, and ftudy that Wifdom ^
which leads to God; for every other Purfuit, cury
other Way of Life, however polite or plausible in the C)||fl^,
rinions of the World, has a Folly and Supklity in it
* thtf
that is equal to the Folly and Stupidity of Tops and
J ». Mifers.
For a while (hut thine Eyes, and think of the filliejl
Creature in human Life ; imagine to thyfelf fomething
that thou thinkeft the moll poor and vain in the Way of
: the World. Nov/thou art thyfelf that poor and vain
^ fK' Creature, unlefs thou art devoted to God, and labouring •
after Chriftian Perfection; unlefs this be thy Difference
. from the World, thou can'ft not think of any Creature
more filly than thyfelf. For it is not any Poji, or Condi¬
tion, or Figure in Life, that makes one Man wifer or bet¬
ter than another; if thou art a proud Scholar, a worldly
"■ Priefl, an indevout Philofopher, a crafty Politician, an
ambitious Statefman, thy Imagination cannot invent a
Way of Life that has more of Vanity or Folly than thine
XI. Every one hasWifdom enough to fee what Vi-
0f Fools and Madmen there are in the World,
tile Ma, !■ p;ow pCrhaps we cannot do better, than to find out
Hdmti tnie Reafon of the Folly and Madnefs of any fort of
■stoGou Life. Afk thyfelf therefore wherein confifts the Folly of
ioney: V any fort of Life, which is moff condemned in thy
ikiiits judgment.
itmeGoa, ]s a drunken Tax-hunter leading a foolifh Life ?
! Soil is dan "Wherein confifts the Folly of it ? Is it becaufe he is not
getting Money Upon the Exchange ? Or becaufe he is
li&isf; . not wrangling at the Bar ? Or not waiting at Court ?
No; the Folly of it confifts in this, that he is not living
:.lifelike a reafinable Creature that he is not adding like a.
juife ' Being that has a Salvation to work out with Tear and
ilakflf Irmtiingz that he is throwing .away his Time amongft
(an®®'- and Noife, and Intemperance, which he fhould de-
offipiqvotc to Watching and Prayer, and the Improvement of
tjglif: his Soul in all holy Tempers. .Now, if this is the Folly
Jtpf ps it moff certainly is) ■of an intemperate Fox-huntrr, it
LjfctV'hews us an equal Folly in every other Way of Life,
jflitV'where the fame great Ends of Living are neglefted.
. ' Tho' we are fhintng at the Bar, making a Figure at
ftffc great at the Exchange, or famous in the Schools
of F'mhj'jpby, we are yet the fame defpicable Creatures
'r the intemperate Fox-hunter, if thefe Things keep us
■(jfj. !far from Holinefs and heavenly AffeClions. There is
nothing greater in any Way of Life than Fox-hunting|
it is all the fame Folly, unlefs Religion be the Beginning
and Ending, the Rule and Meafure of it all. For it is a<
-noble a Wffdom, and (hews as great a Soul, to die lefs
holy and heavenly for the Sake of Hunting and Noife, as
for the Sake of any thing that the World can give us.
XII. If we will judge Things by our Fancie , we
may think fome Ways of Life mighty wife, and othen
.mighty foolifh; we may think it glorious to be pur
fuing Methods of Fame and Wealth, and foolifh to b<
killing Foxes. But if we will let Reafon and Religior
ihew us the Folly and Wifdom of Things, we fhall calili
fee that all Ways of Life are equally little and fboiiHi,
but thofe that perfeft and exalt our Souls in Holinefs.
No one therefore can complain of want of Under
ftanding in theConduft of his Life, for a fmall Share o ",1
Senfe is fufficient to condemn fome Degrees of Vanity-
which we fee in the World ; every one is able and read®1
to do it. And if we are but able to condemn the vainell1
fort of Life upon true Reafons, the fame Rcaions wi3^
ferve to fliew, that all forts of Life are equally vair 't
but the one Life of Religion. Thou hall therefore, i fir
I obferved before, no Choice of any thing to labotfGi
after inftead -of Chriftian Perfedlion. If thou can'ft Sii
content to be the poor, ft, vain eft, mifralhft CrealuKtt
on Earth, thou may'll negleft Chriftian Perfeftion-:W
But if thou feeft any thing in human Life that thou
horreft and defpiftft; if there be any Perfon that lives |t J
as thou fhouldeft fear to live, thou mull turn thy HeM
to God, tliou mull labour after Chriftran Perflation ; ft. J
there is nothing in Nature but (his, that can fet tijlinj,
above the vain eft, pooreft, and moll inferable oi humljj
Creatures. Thou art every thing that thou can'II ahm^
and defpife, everything that thou can'ft fear; thou
full of every Folly that thy Mind can imagine, uiil^H
thou art all devoted to God. J ^
XIII. Another Motive to induce you to afpirc
Chriftian Perfedli tft maybe taken from the double Ai ,
vantage of it in this Life, and that which is to co:ne.
The Apoftle thus exhorts the Corirth. " H
jBfy beloved Brethren, be ye ftedfft, immoveable, alr£" ■'
• - ----- ,
abounding in the Work of the Lord; for as much as _
\
_x
iftu
i !®J
C 109 )
IfaovJ that our Labour mill not be In wain in the
i ^ Lord (a).
This is an Exhortation founded upon folid Reafons
For what can be to w ife and reafonable, as to be always
abounding in that Work which will never be in <vain ?
Whilft we are pleafed with ourfelves, or pleafed with
the World, we are pleafed with Vanity ; and out moil
i profperous Labours of this kind are but Vanity of Vani¬
ties : But whiift we are labouring after Chriftian Per-
fedtion-, we are labouring for Eternity, and building t@
•ourfelves higher Stations in the Joys of Heaven. As one
Star differeth from another Star in Glory, fo alfo is theRe-
furreftion of the Dead. W-e lhall furely rife to different
Degrees of Glory, of Joy and Happinefs in G 0 d, ac¬
cording to our different Advancements in Purity, Holi-
nefs, and good Works.
No Degrees 'Of Mortification and Self-denial, no pri¬
vate Prayers, no fecret Mournings, no Inftances of
Charity, no Labour of Love, will ever be forgotten*
but all treafured up to our everlafting Comfort and Re-
frelhment. For tho' the Rewards of the other Life art
free Gifts of God; yet fince he has affured us, that
every Man fhall be rewarded according to his Works, it
is certain that our Rewards will be as different as out
Works have been.
XIV. Nowftand ft ill here awhile, and afk yOurfelf*
whether you really believe this to be true, that the more
perfeft we are here, the more happy we fhall behereafter ?
If you do'not believe this to be ftriCily true, you knOW
nothing of Go d and Religion. And if you do believe it
to be true, is it poffible to be a<wake and not afpiring
after Chriftian Perfection ? What can you think of, what
tan theV/orld {hew you, that can make you any Amends
for the Lofs of any Degree of Virtue ? Can anyWay of
Life make it reafonable for you to die lefs per fed than ye it
might have done? But if you would now devote yout-
fclf to God, perhaps you muft part with fome Friends $
you muft difpleafe fome Relations, you muft lay afid$
fome Defigns, you muft refrain from fome Pleafures, yma
mull alter your Life; nay, perhaps you muft do
^an this, you muft expofe yourfelf to the Hatred of
b) 1 Cor. xv. 58,
C HO )
your Friends, to the Jeft and Ridicule of Wits, and to
the Scorn and Derifion of worldly Men. But had you
not better do and fufter all this, than die lefs ptrft fl,
lets prepared for eternal Glory ? Anj] indeed the fuffer-
ing all this is fufFering nothing. For why fhould it
fignify any thir.g fo you, what Fools and Madmen think
of you ? And furely it can be no wrong or rafli Judg¬
ment to think thofe both Fools and mad, who condemn
what God approves, and like that which God condemns:
But if you think this too much to be done, to obtain
eternal Glory, think, on the other hand, what can be
gained inftead of it.
Fancy yourfelf living in all the Eafe and Pleafure that
Ihe World can give you, efteeined by your Friends, tin- j.
difturbed by your Enemies, and gratifying all jour
naturalTempers. If you could fiandJlill in fuch a State, I,-;
you might fay that you had got fomething ; but alas!
every Day that is added to fuch a Life, is the fame
thing as a Day taken from it, and fhews you that fo
much Happinefs is gone from you. For be as happy as
you will, you mull fee it all finking away from you;
you muft feel yourtelf decline; you mull fee that your
Time for tens apace; you muft hear of fudden Deaths;
you muft fear Sicknefs; you muft both dread and dclire ~
eld Age ; you muft fall into the Hands of Death ; jou
muft either die in the painful, bitter Sorrows of a deep
Repentance, or in fad, gloomy Defpair, wilhing for
'Mountains to fall upon you, and Seas to cover you. And
is this a Happinefs to be cbofen ? Is this all that you
fan gain by neglecting God, by following your own
Deftres, and not labouring after Chriftian Perfection ? ^
Is it worth your while to feparate yourfelf from God, -tj
Jo loofe your Share in the Realms of Light, to lie thus
happy, or, I may better f?.y, to be thus miferablc even
in this Life ? You may Be fo blind and foolilh, as not
to think of thefe Things; but it is tmpofiible to think or 'to
them, without labouring ?fter Chrifian Perfection.
XVI. It may be, you are too young, too happy, or "is
too bufy to be afleCted with thele Reflections; but let t't;
me tell you, that all will be over before you arc aware; ft
your Day will be fpent, and leave you to fuch a
4$ that which furprized the foolf Virgins. And at Mid- %
fight [«!W
'1[V
ForM
IV- 1 111 )
a. night /Serf tvarj a? Cry made,behold the Bridegroom ,
go y out to meet him (a).
' •v | The lift Hour will foon be with you, when you will
have nothing to look for, but your Reward hi another
Life;1 when you will (land with nothing but Eternity
I before you, and mult begin to be fomethrng that will
: be your State for ever. I can no more reach Heaven
with my Hands, than I can defcribe the Sentiments that
" J you will then have ; you will then feel Motions of
Heart that you never felt before; all your Thoughts
" " and Reflections will pierce your Soul in a manner, that
you never before experienced; and you will feel the
-sr,;:: Immortality of your Nature, by the Depth and piercing
j;. jonfe Vigour of your Thoughts. You will then know what
k it is to die; you will then know that you never knew
life. ;t before, that you never thought worthily of it ;■ but that
dying Thoughts are as nenxi and amazing as that Stare
which follows them.
Let me therefore exhort you to come prepared to this
Time of Trial; to look out for Comfort, whilff the
Day is before you; to treafure up fuch a Fund of good
< - and pious Works, as may make you able to bear that
State, which cannot be borne without them. Could I
any way make you apprehend, how dying Men feel
H the want of a pious Life; how they lament Time loll,
f-j Health and Strength fquander'd away in Folly; how
$] they look at Eternity, and what they think of the Re¬
wards of another Life, you would foon find yourfelf'one
ofthofe, who define to live in the high elf State of Piety
and Perfection, that by this Means you may grow old
in Peace, and die in full Hope of eternal Glory.
XVII. Confider again, that befides the Rewards of
the other Life, the devoting yourfelf wholly to God has
a great Reward even in this Life, as it makes Religion
doubly pleafant to you. Whilft you are divided betwixt
Gon and the World, you have neither the Pleafures of
Religion, nor the Pleafures of the World; but are al-
Ways in the Uneafinefs of a divided State of Heart,
^ouhave only fo much Religion as ferves to difquiet
you; to check your Enjoyments; to (hew you a Hand¬
writing upon the Wall; to interrupt your Pleafures; to
reproach you with your Follies; and to appear as a
K 2 DeaflS*
W Matth. XXV. 6.
(112 )
J)eathys "React at all your Feaftsbut not Religion
enough to give you a Tafte and Feeling of its properPj
Pleatures and Satisfa&ions. You dare not wholly ne-
gleft Religion ; but then, you take no more of it than
is Juft fufficient to keep you from being a Terror to.
yourfelfand you are as loth to be very good, as you are
fearful to be very bad. So that you are juft, as happy
s not run away from his Mailer,
3.s the Slave,, that dares not run away L h
3-nd yet always ferves him. againft his Will. Inftead of ;
haying a Religion that is your Comfort in all Troubles,. ^
your Religion is itfelf a Trouble, under which you want ^
to be comforted j and thofe Days and Times hang
heavieft ot> your Hands,. which leave you only to the W
Offices apd Duties of Religion. Sunday would be very.ffi
dull ana tirefome, but that it is but one Day in/awjffj
and is made a Day of dr effing and vijiting> as well as
of divine Service. You don't care to keep away froiftW
the Publick Worlhip, but are always glad when it ijliiy
over. This is the State of half Piety ; thus they live lain
who add Religion to a worldly Life; all their Religionm
is mere Yoke and Burden, and is only made tolerable bjrin
haying but little of their Time. w frig
XVIII. Urbanus goes to Church, but he hardly m
knows whether he goes out of a Senfe of Duty, or totyi
5ipet his Friends. He. wonders at thofe People who^
are p-ophane, and what Pleaffire they can find in Irre-
ligion ; but then, he is in as great a Wonder at thofe
who would make every Day a Day of divine Worfhip. Ett
Jde feels no more of the Pleafures of Piety, than of the n J
Pleafures of Prophanenefs As Religion has every ^
thing from him but his Hearty fo. he has every thing
from Religion but its Comforts. Urbanus likes Religion. ^
becaufe it feems an eafy Way ofpleafing God ; a d< cmR
Thing, that takes up but little of our Time, and is a^'j
proper Mixture in Life : But if he was reduced to take ^
Comfort in it, he would be as much at a Lofs, as thole
who have lived without God in the World. V
Urbanus thinks of Joy, and Pleafure, and Happinef^,
he does not think at all of Religion. He has gone
thro' a hundred Misfortunes, fallen into Variety ol
Hardfhips; but never thought of making Religion hi: ;
■Comfort in any of them, He makes himfelf quiet and
happy d
f ^3 J
happy In another Manner. He is content with his
Chriftianity, notbecaufeheis pious, but becaufe he is not
prophane. He continues in the fame Courfe of Reli-
0!®diljgion, not becaufe of any real Good he ever found in it,,
but becaufe it does him no Hurt. _
To fuch poor Purpofes as thefe do Numbers of Peo<-
ple profefs Chnfdanity. Let me therefore exhort you
to a folid Piety, to devote yourfelf wholly unco God;:
It that entering deep into Religion, you may enter deep
into its Comforts ; that ferving God with all your Heart,,
you may have the Peace and Pleafure of a Heart that is
at Unity with itfel'C, When your Confcience once bears,
bit JQOi: you witnefs, that you are ftedfafi, immoveable, and al~
SscijiiJwfl)1; abounding in the Work of the Lord, you will find:
mtmty that your Reward is already begun, and that you could
idjfc;,: not be lefs devout, lefs holy, lefs charitable, or lefs hum-
setoittfi hie, without leffening the mod fubftantial Pleafure that
ever you felt in your Life. So- that to be content with
t any lower Attainments in Piety, is to rob ourfelves of a.
i; tlx prcfcnt Happinefs,. which nothing elfe can give us.
;dymik!.'j klX You would perhaps devote yourfelf to Per*
fedion but for this or that little Difficulty that lies m your-
area, kf.r1lY> >'ou are not in f° convenient a State for the full
yjjfl Practice of Piety as you could wiih: But confider that
atiM this is Nonfenfe, becaule Perfection confifb in. conquering
aevaiii- difficulties. You could not be pej-fedt as the prefent
Ifi State of Trial requires, had you notthofe Difficulties and!
Inconveniences to ftruggle with. Thefe Things there-
^re which you would have removed, are laid in your
1 ";ay, that you may make them fo many Steps to:,
Glory.
As you could not exer.cife your Charity,, unlefs you.
T ft,, met with Objedls; fo neither could you {hew, that you.
'jgji had overcome the World, unlefs you had many worldly
^ Engagements to- overcome. If all your Friends and.
*.",M (iUuin,tfince were devout, humble, heavenly-minded,,
and wholly intent upon the one End of Life, it would
be lefs Perfedion in you to be like, them But if you are
humble amongft thofe that delight in Pride, heavenly-
d amongft the worldly, fobcr amongft the intem¬
perate, devout amongft the irreligious, and labouring
after Perfection amongft thofe that defpife and ridicule
K 3 yout-
( 1T4 ) (i.iij
your Labours, then are you truly devoted unto G o mi
Confider therefore, that you can have no LifficuUy, bJffi
fuch as the World lays in your Way ; and that Ptrfcc-jisll
tion is never to be iiad, but by parting with the WorlcLj
It confifts in nothing elle. To flay therefore to be pe
feci till it fuits with your Condition in the World, 13 )il<
flaying to be charitable till there were no Objects of Chi
rity. It is as if a Man fnould intend to be courageous
fome Time or other, when there is nothing left to tr a(ja
Ws)S°T'- v , p |h
AX. Again, you perhaps turn your Eyes upon tlv^u
World ; you fee all Orders of People full of other Care
and Pleafures; you fee the Generality of Clergy a».^
Laity, Learned and Unlearned,, your Friends arid .\c T
quaintance, moflly living according to the Spirit tha
reigneth in the World; you are therefore content wit! .'Tj
fuch a Pitfy as you think contents great Scholars am !
famous Men; and it may be you cannot think that Goi
will rejed fuch Numbers of Chriftians. Now all this
amufing yourfeif with nothing ; it is only loftng youriel ';!
in vain Imaginations ; it is making that a Rule w hie
is no R-Je, and cheating yourfeif into a falfe Satisfac tF
tion. As y ou are not cenforioufly to damn other People : M
fo neither are you to think your own Salvation lectin
becaufe you are like the generality of the World,
The foolijh Virgins that had provided no Oil in thet-Ho
Lamps, and fo were ftiut out of the Marriage Feall
jvere only thus far foolijh r that they trufted to the Aj
fjlance oftliofe that were wife : But you are more foolif!
than they ; for you trufl to be faved hy the roily 0 f j
others; you imagine yourfeif fafe in the Negligence, i"
nity, and Irregularity of theWorld; you take Confident
in the Broad JVay, becaufe it is broad; you are conten
with yourfeif, becaufe you feem to be along with tk<
many, tho' God himfelf has told you, that narrow is tin
Way that leadeth unto Life, and few there be that fint
it. -
XXI. One Word more and I have done. Thin!
with yourfeif, what a Happinefs it is, that you have i
in your Power to fecure a Share in the Glories of Hca
ven, and make yourfeif one of thofe bleffed Beings tha
are to live with God for ever. Refled upon the Clo¬
ne
V "5 )
lies of bright Angels, that thine about the Throne of
Heaven. I hink upon that b ulnefs of Joy, which is the
State of Chnft at the Right Hand of God ; and re¬
member that it is this fame State of Glory and Joy that
lies open for you. You are lefs, it may be, in worldly
Diftmctions than many others; but as to your Relation
i God, you have no Superior upon Earth. Let your
ondition be what it will, let your Life be ever fo mean,
m may make the End of it the Beginning of eternal
Glory. Be often therefore in thefe Reflections, that
they may fill you with a wife Ambition of all that Glory
which God in Chrifl hath called you to. For it is im-
iibleto underftand and feel any thing of this, without
your Heart affe&ed with ftrong Defires after it.
There are many Things in human Life which it would
_be in vain for you to afpire after; but the Happinefs of
the next, the Sum of all Happinefs, is fecure and fafe to
you againft ail Accidents. Here no Chances or Mif-
fortunes can prevent your Succefs; neither can the
Treachery of Friends, nor the Malice of Enemies dif-
ippointyou; it is only your own falfe Heart that can
■ob you of this Happinefs. Be but your own true
Friend, and then you have nothing to fear from your
Enemies. Do but you fincerely labour in the Lord, and
w-" then neither Heighth nor Depth, neither Life nor Death,
Men or Devils, can make your Labour in vain.
FINIS.